Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) has released its best practice recommendations for PC users, and those of you in-tune with the browser wars will be interested to hear that the agency chose Chrome as the safest option. The BSI cites the browser's built-in sandboxing, auto-updating, and bundled (always-up-to-date) Adobe Flash player in its decision. While people in many countries decide to switch from the default Internet Explorer, those in Germany (and the rest of Europe) have to choose which browser to use by default the very first time they turn on their machines, thanks to an anti-monopoly settlement between Microsoft and the European Commission in 2009.

Alongside Chrome, the BSI has a complete document full of recommendations for PC users that covers everything from purchase, installation, use, and disposal. In addition to your typical guidelines to keep your machine up-to-date, the agency recommends some specific programs. It notes that unless you need specific features like child controls and email monitoring, you're better off with a free anti-virus solution like Microsoft Security Essentials, Avira, or Avast (we're inclined to agree), and that its recommended free email option is Gmail. Some other top safety tips for PC use include uninstalling unused demo programs that come pre-installed and backing up your machine at least once a week.