Is Google Chrome secure enough?

[GabeU]

An off topic question, but do you think Google Chrome is secure enough?  I have been using IE for years, and I, like others, am starting to see more articles and such of how IE is basically falling behind...considerably.  I have Chrome on here, and it's up to date, but I am somewhat apprehensive in using it to do things like online shopping.  What do you think?  I don't have Firefox.  I tried it a few years back and did not like it at all.  But, with regard to that, how is Firefox with security?  What would YOU choose to do sensitive things like shopping and paying bills and such?  

Thanks for the help.   

[Pawnee County]

I had problems with script errors using Chrome so I changed to the  open source Cromium version and the errors stopped.  I also use Firefox a lot but the latest version has a few glitches in it.  As far as security there probably isn't a nickles worth of difference just be careful that is the key to security.  

[Gwalk900]

I use a mixture of (believe it or not) IE11, Firefox and Opera.
As to Google Chrome .... it IS Google and the lifeblood of Google is information.

I use duckduckgo for a search engine and I only have Chrome installed on a test bed drive.
But, that's just me.

[CharlesMcCool]

Personally I use Firefox for all my needs which include testing (Because it supports Java) banking and online shopping, I used Chrome for years until it dropped Java support, But I do have a few tasks that have to be done with IE

[GabeU]

When I do anything sensitive I always make sure that my computer is scanned and everything is up to date.  I also have my IE set to "Enhanced Protection Mode" and the 64-bit processes mode that goes along with that.  I also make sure to check the security certificate of any site I go to in which I do anything sensitive. 

This may sound sort of goofy, but after I do any transactions and whatnot, I shut everything down, including my Hughesnet modem, then restart everything.  Then, once back up, I scan again. 

[GabeU]

I used Opera many, MANY moons ago because it was so much faster than all of the others.  We're talking early 2000s. 

[GabeU]

Maybe I should download Firefox and just give it a try.  It couldn't hurt, and it might very well be different than it was when I tried it back in the day. 

Netscape was a great browser.  I used it quite often.  It was also sort of like Netscape was one of the first, very widely used, freeware programs. 

[donsjgm]

Gabe, Unless you're using an outdated browser, one is as good as the other.
I strongly dislike Chrome. Firefox is a great browser. I primarily use Safari but on my Windows box I use Edge. On my Linux boxes that have GUI i use Firefox.
I occasionally use Tor.
For banking and purchases, Safari is my personal choice.

[C0RR0SIVE]

I kinda have to use firefox for some things...

#1 it's all that supports java decently well
#2 my new network switch uses a java web-management interface if I want to avoid SSH and PUTTY...
#3 pretty much all my network equipment has a web-gui, and Firefox strangely works really nice with all those different web-interfaces...

Aside from that, I do everything on Chrome... And it's more than Google that likes to collect information, every website likes to look at all your cookies and history.  To be fairly blunt, I would trust Chrome before I would trust any other browser when it comes to overall security.

But I would trust no browser that has unfamiliar add-ons/extensions in their directory... A lot of malware attaches via extensions these days, and is a royal pita to remove.

[BirdDog]

I have to agree, browsing history is being collected no matter which one you are using. I switched to Chrome several years back when FF began crashing my computer for some reason. Still use it and Opera sometimes though when needed.

[C0RR0SIVE]

Yeah, I used FF almost exclusively till ~2009ish.  Then they started that rapid update crap at some point and it turned me off a good bit as it kept breaking things.

[billmiller43]

Use Chrome, IF you like to have Google track all you do? I use Mozilla Firefox on my Mac, never had a problem. IE isn't available for OSX, and I won't allow any Microshaft or Google apps on my Mac. 15 years since the PC's went into the trash, and I've never looked back. I'd buy any Intel Mac and use it for all internet tasks. You can always run your PC offline. At my job we could not access the net with PC's, as they were not secure. No USB or other portable devices allowed. You can't be secure with a PC connected to the net, PERIOD! Virus programs are only added to antivirus software AFTER they are discovered. Even a font can contain one.

[BirdDog]

I knew the "never looked back" statement would be in there.

[GabeU]

Thanks for all of the help, folks.  I think I will stick with IE for now, but I will download Firefox and try it out here and there.  I will, of course, eventually have to switch to something else being that this will be the last release of IE.  I don't care for the Edge browser one iota, so perhaps Firefox will be the answer.  I know that Chrome tracks just about everything, and that's been an ongoing complaint regarding that. 

Time will tell.  Thanks again. 

[donsjgm]

IMHO Chrome is the most invasive of all browsers. It wants to take over your computer. I don't like it or use it at all.

[donsjgm]

I do have a Windows box, 2 in fact, 3  Linux boxes (Ubuntu, CentOS and Debian) and 3 Macs. The Linux boxes stay on my LAN only except for rare occasions. The Windows computer is NOT used for anything business or personal.
I too went to Mac and "never looked back" but IMHO, Linux is a good OS.

[GabeU]

I have Linux Mint on a different SSD, and I enjoy using it sometimes just to goof around, but I have never done anything sensitive with it due to the fact that I had a hard time finding any free antivirus software and such for it that was Linux ready and easily installed like on a Windows system, though I know there are programs out there.  I also know that Linux is much less likely to be hack, but I still don't trust it without those types of programs.  I'm also not willing to actually pay for a virus program due to the fact that, for me, it would be a waste of money.   

[GabeU]

I use Chrome sometimes when I'm having a problem with IE and a particular web page, but I have never used it for anything sensitive, nor gone to any of the sites on which I do anything sensitive. 

[donsjgm]

Gabe,
I used FF exclusively for a long time and like it very well. I went to Safari at OS X 10.10 and now at 10.11 since it syncs so well with my iPhone. Again, IMHO FF is an excellent choice.

[Chris11]

Hi GabeU,

Just to throw my 2 cents in. Chrome is my go to browser and after that Opera. I have found IE is probably the worst out of all the ones I have tried security wise. Just too many vulnerabilities. 

- Chris

[Pawnee County]

Gabe Gabe Gabe!!! Anti Virus is not needed with Linux Mint nothing can be installed without you telling it, "it is OK"  There is AntiVirus in the Software Manager that scans email both in and out AVAST is one but all they are needed for is so you don't pass a Virus with Email to a Windows User.

Start using Mint for everything you do and only go to Windows when necessary soon you will find yourself not using Windows very much at all if not ever.  I was the same at first but soon discovered Mint can do it if Window can do it.  There may be some software that you use that has no Linux alternative but soon you will find out a workaround that works just fine.

You can install a .deb and other files with archive manager.  As far as other programs there are thousands in the Software Manager and Synaptic is there for upgrades.  So Gabe use it then all of a sudden you'll say, "Humm? Wonder if I should check on my Windows partition it has been a while."