Major Web browsers fail password protection tests


That's the biggest takeaway from the results of this test which shows that all the major Web browsers -- including IE, Firefox, Opera, Safari and Chrome -- are vulnerable to a total of 20 vulnerabilities that could expose password-related information. Among the problems are three in particular that, when combined, allow password thieves to take passwords without the user's knowledge. They are:
- The destination where passwords are sent is not checked.
- The location where passwords are requested is not checked.
- Invisible form elements can trigger password management.
Google's shiny new Chrome browser was among the worst offenders. According to the study, Chrome's password manager contains multiple unpatched issues that "form a toxic soup of potential vulnerabilities that can coalesce into broad insecurity."
Apple's Safari for Windows browser was also failed a majority of the tests (click image for full version):
Technical details of the test, which was conducted by Chapin Information Services, can be found here.