Researchers Say Google Wants To Undermine Firefox’s Growth

By | December 20, 2011


Researchers Say Google Wants To Undermine Firefoxs Growth

Google denies the charges.

Remember the study by Accuvant, which concluded that Google Chrome is the most secure web browser?

NSS Labs, a California based company that publishes web browser security results of its own, has issued a statement, which claims that Google is pretty much on its own now and has already done some dirty things to undermine Firefox’s and other web browsers growth.

As their own study revealed, Google Chrome had an incredible effectiveness increase against the malware in an 11 day period, which jumped from 8% to 40%. However, both Firefox and Safari has declined to less than 2%

What does it mean? According to NSS Labs: Google is keeping some blocking protection from the Safe Browsing API (application programming interface) tapped by Firefox and Safari.

Vikram Phatak, the CTO of NSS Labs said: “It appears Google has purposefully withheld important malware protection from its Safe Browsing feed coinciding with its break from Firefox and release of the Google-funded report by Accuvant,”

According to Mr. Phatak, the company who funds various studies will always drive their own methodology, resulting in a flawed study.

When asked about their own special relationships with Microsoft, where they funded NSS Labs studies to demonstrate Internet Explorer’s superiority, he said: “There’s a reason why we don’t do that anymore.”

Whether or not this was before or after last study, remains to be seen.

[Via: ComputerWorld]
[Picture Source: Gizmodo]


About (Author Profile)


Vygantas is a former web designer whose projects are used by companies such as AMD, NVIDIA and departed Westood Studios. Being passionate about software, Vygantas began his journalism career back in 2007 when he founded FavBrowser.com. Having said that, he is also an adrenaline junkie who enjoys good books, fitness activities and Forex trading.

Comments (13)

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  1. Whyamiusingthis says:

    Google will rule the internet in the future…

  2. Dan says:

    “Don’t be evil”

  3. Asknobody says:

    “There’s a reason why we don’t do that anymore.” So no more MS funded research, only MS funded propaganda? Undermine Firefox’s and other web browsers growth? :D Of course users when they are choosing their browser first check reports about malware or browsers security. Everybody does that. NOT :D MS reaches new low.. They just should stop throwing money to support such bullshit and just stop developing browser that general public would love..

  4. Saex Conroy says:

    who gives a fuck, i will use what browser is the best for me and thats final

    • Rafael says:

      If it’s true I give.

    • e92 says:

      Your particular line of reasoning (and those who subscribe to it) provide giant companies with the opportunity to pull s*** like this.  Remember when, for a brief moment, all we had was Internet Explorer (because it worked better than everything else)?  That turned out great.

  5. Tiago Sá says:

    All I know is Google Chrome sucks and it keeps giving me trouble in web development. I’m admittedly not a pro, but it’s come to a point where I need a chrome hacks file besides my ievil.css

    You know there’s something wrong with Chrome when something will display correctly on Firefox, Opera and Internet Explorer, but not in Chrome…

    • Sarjoor says:

      I think the web development and/or developer may need some improving/learning if you think you need a Chrome hacks file, because you’re probably doing something very wrong.

  6. Mikah says:

    Considering NSS Labs history that’s a staggering amount of hypocrisy coming from them or are they still saying what Microsoft wants.
    I would not be surprised to see another Microsoft funded report from them in 2012.
    “According to Mr. Phatak, the company who funds various studies will always drive their own methodology, resulting in a flawed study.”

  7. bal917 says:

    fuck you google! fuck you!

  8. Anonymous says:

    LOL, NSS Labs :D