Microsoft Edge users will soon get an additional layer of security when browsing less popular corners of the web.
The new feature will implement “more conservative” security settings for users when they are browsing unfamiliar sites.
Dubbed “Enhanced Security Mode”, the new feature is set to roll out in Edge version 104.0.1293.47.
How does it work?
JavaScript is an important part of delivering a rich online experience for web users. However, it is very frequently used as a way to hijack users’ endpoints by cybercriminals.
Microsoft says the new feature mitigates memory-related vulnerabilities by disabling just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation and enabling additional operating system protections for the browser. These protections include Hardware-enforced Stack Protection and Arbitrary Code Guard (ACG).
The feature will make it harder for a malicious site to use an unpatched vulnerability to write to executable memory and attack an end user, according to Microsoft.
You can activate the new feature by opening up Microsoft Edge and heading to “Settings and more”, and then clicking on “Settings”, followed by “Privacy, search, and services”.
Users will then need to pick from the following available toggle settings, which each offers varying levels of security: “Basic”, “Balanced”, and “Strict” (which applies the protections to all websites you visit).
This isn’t the only new feature that Microsoft is rolling out for its flagship web browser. The latest edition of Microsoft Edge will include a new disk caching feature that the company says will give users a large performance upgrade by applying compression to disc caching.
All the new features must be doing something to win over consumers. Almost one in 10 Internet users are now using Microsoft’s new flagship browser after it fully retired Internet Explorer earlier this year.
