Microsoft Edge update promises to fend off dangerous web-based attacks
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The latest update for Microsoft Edge is set to deliver some important updates to security features.
First, the web browser has been given a boost for its web defense which Microsoft claims is “more reliable”. The update uses a rewritten “Microsoft Defender SmartScreen” library, which was first introduced in Edge 103. This feature is exclusive to users using Edge on a Windows computer.
As part of the improvement, the “NewSmartScreenLibraryEnabled” policy in Microsoft Edge 106 is deprecated and will be considered obsolete in the next major release (107).
Microsoft Edge 106
This follows the news that Edge will introduce an ultra-high security mode when users navigate to less popular websites. The settings to enable this are in Settings & More > Settings > Privacy, Search & Services, where users can choose from Basic, Balanced, and Strict.
Microsoft’s developers have also been updating the work results feature in the browser’s address bar.
The number of results that can be displayed has doubled from two to four, which should provide “greater visibility into the work content available to you as you search”. To get work results, you need to enable the ‘AddressBarMicrosoftSearchInBingProviderEnabled’ policy.
Other updates to the latest version of Edge 106 include three new policies, two deprecated policies, and two that are now deprecated (“OutlookHubMenuEnabled” and “EdgeDiscoverEnabled”).
Microsoft Edge 106 is now available in the stable channel.
Earlier this year, we reported that Edge is finally on the rise after Internet Explorer’s retirement. The browser passed the 10% global desktop market share in April 2022 and peaked at 10.92% in August 2022, but still lags far behind Google Chrome at more than 67%.
Unlike Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge can be installed on macOS and Linux devices, as well as the Windows operating system. There are also iOS and Android versions of the browser.