Google Chrome pwns all at CanSecWest

Google Chrome, a newcomer in Browser War 2.0, has emerged as the only unhacked contender in the Pwn2Own contest at last week’s CanSecWest conference in Vancouver. IE, Firefox and Safari were all cracked within minutes of the start of the contest, but Chrome withstood everything the wily white hat hackers threw at it. Chrome also resisted hacking attempts last year. 

Mobile platforms didn’t escape unscathed. The iPhone was hacked very quickly, but Android proved invulnerable to al exploits thrown at it. 

These results don’t prove that Google’s products are perfect, merely that they are well engineered enough to withstand a hacking barrage from some of the smartest people in the security business. But as more and more applications and services move to the web, it pays to have a window that can’t be smashed open. Google already powers much of the internets guts; if their success with Chrome continues, they may yet rule the browser space as well, or at least be the last app standing.