Skip to main content

Microsoft discusses the details of Edge’s security

key, security
CreativeCommons
Preparing for a cyber attack is just a part of the job while designing a browser, and Microsoft has been hard at work on security features for Edge. The latest version of Microsoft’s browser will be adequately prepared for security threats when it debuts, according to a blog posted on May 11 on the Windows site.

Microsoft Edge will defend against common trickery tactics used by hackers to obtain personal information or money, such as phishing, through stronger credentials. Windows 10 will also have Microsoft Passport, a technology that uses asymmetric cryptography to authenticate you to your frequently visited websites.

With SmartScreen, Edge will be able to perform a reputation check on all websites you browse. Additionally, it will block sites that it deems prone to phishing.

Edge has a new rendering engine called Microsoft EdgeHTML, which will cater to developers looking to focus on the security aspect of website creation. However, the browser will no longer support VML, VB Script, Toolbars, BHOs or ActiveX.

“It is important to create an extension model that is safer, by sharing less state between the browser itself and the extensions,” wrote Crispin Cowan, senior program manager of Microsoft Edge.

It’s also worth noting that Microsoft Edge will be considered a Universal Windows app when it debuts. This means that all of its processes will live within an app container sandbox, which could prevent bugs and malware from accessing its user’s resources.

Finally, Edge will have a Memory Garbage Collector, which defends the browser from Use-After-Free vulnerabilities. The process of freeing memory will be taken away from the user and automated instead. Edge will also have Control Flow Guard, which checks coding to verify that it does not stem from a hacker.

“We believe Microsoft Edge will be the most secure web browser that Microsoft has ever shipped,” Cowan continued.

Windows 10, Microsoft’s latest operating system, is set to debut this summer.

Editors' Recommendations

Krystle Vermes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Krystle Vermes is a professional writer, blogger and podcaster with a background in both online and print journalism. Her…
Microsoft just discovered the next big evolution in displays
Resident Evil 4 running on the LG UltraGear 45 gaming monitor.

Microsoft is working on a new patent that aims to bring unprecedented levels of control to displays. The new tech, dubbed Pixel Luminesce for Digital Display, allows you to micromanage every single pixel of your display, adjusting the brightness as needed. If and when this makes it out of the development stage, it could end up being huge for all sorts of use cases, and could bring major improvements to some of the best gaming monitors.

The patent application describing the tech, first shared by Windows Report, describes the new technology as something that would enable selective dimming. With Microsoft's new tech, you could decide that one part of the display stays brighter while the rest of it remains unaffected, and this would happen dynamically.

Read more
Windows 11 24H2 or Windows 12? Here’s what’s coming soon
A laptop running Windows 11.

Windows 11 is more than a few years old and it is getting feature drops called "moments" every so often, as well as yearly updates. But what about the whole new Windows release that will come after Windows 11?

Earlier leaks from Intel and Qualcomm made mention of Windows 12, leading some to believe that Windows 12 might be in development at Microsoft and could come in 2024.

Read more
Copilot: how to use Microsoft’s own version of ChatGPT
Microsoft's AI Copilot being used in various Microsoft Office apps.

ChatGPT isn’t the only AI chatbot in town. One direct competitor is Microsoft’s Copilot (formerly Bing Chat), and if you’ve never used it before, you should definitely give it a try. As part of a greater suite of Microsoft tools, Copilot can be integrated into your smartphone, tablet, and desktop experience, thanks to a Copilot sidebar in Microsoft Edge. 

Like any good AI chatbot, Copilot’s abilities are constantly evolving, so you can always expect something new from this generative learning professional. Today though, we’re giving a crash course on where to find Copilot, how to download it, and how you can use the amazing bot. 
How to get Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft Copilot comes to Bing and Edge. Microsoft

Read more