9 Microsoft Edge features help enhance online protection and security

Luckily, browsers like Microsoft Edge have a variety of protection features that help keep your online experience safe and secure.

From features that prevent you from visiting malicious websites to settings that let you create untraceable passwords, here are some of the top security features that make Microsoft Edge a secure web browser.

1. Edge Secure Network VPN

When it comes to online privacy and security, one of the first tools people think of is a VPN. These services create an encrypted connection over a less secure network, which is the norm these days, especially as public WiFi is becoming so popular.

That said, Microsoft Edge comes with a feature called Edge Secure Network, which uses the same basic principles of a VPN to protect your online identity. It hides your IP address (and also your physical location) and the best part is that it's programmed to activate whenever you connect to a public network, such as airport WiFi or whenever Do you visit a site that does not have an HTTPS certificate?

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Therefore, any actions in which you enter sensitive information, such as filling out a form or making an online purchase, are between you and your browser.

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To benefit from the protection of this feature, all you need to do is log in to your Microsoft account, go to Edge Settings or Browser Essentials and enable the Edge Secure Network option .

Note : Currently, Edge Secure Network automatically gives you 5GB of free data every month.

2. Monitor passwords

Data breaches are no joke.

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Microsoft Edge has come up with a solution to this problem called Password Monitor. In short, this security feature does three things:

1. Helps you transfer account information of passwords generated in other web browsers to Edge.
2. Check the passwords you saved in Microsoft Edge to protect against data breaches.
3. Immediately warns you to change your password when it appears unsafe.

As for how well Password Monitor works, know that it will always scan all of your saved passwords when you first activate it. Additionally, it checks each username and password combination the first time they are added to Password Monitor's database.

Additionally, there's always the option of manually scanning your saved passwords for risks, which you can do as many times as you like.

3. Password generator

Those focused on online privacy and security are likely well aware of the risks of reusing the same password over and over for all the websites and services you use.

Microsoft Edge comes with a password generator that can help you avoid this error and is very easy to use.

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Whenever you open a web page that contains a registration form or a field to change your password, Microsoft Edge activates the password generator by default. Simply clicking on the password field will cause the password generator to generate a drop-down list of strong passwords for you to choose from. Then you choose any password you like and use it on that site.

Microsoft Edge will also automatically save the password you choose, and Edge will use autofill to write down the password for you whenever you need to re-enter it. Additionally, you'll be able to use this generated password on all of your synced Edge devices, regardless of whether they're on desktop or mobile.

4. Password status

Password strength is more important than choosing a word that no one would think of using. The use of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters can all contribute to the strength of a password, making it impossible to crack.

For example, while Password Monitor can help you find passwords that may have been leaked, Password Health can help you prevent it from happening in the first place.

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Simply put, it shows you a list of all the passwords you have saved in Microsoft Edge and determines the overall strength of that password. Additionally, it will provide users with tips on what to do in case the password is considered weak or at risk of leak.

5. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen

As one of the active protection features in Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Defender SmartScreen's role is to protect you from phishing and malware attacks. For example, the most common way you get infected with malware is through suspicious attachments and misleading calls to action.

Thanks to Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, an port of SmartScreen for Windows, any content you download through Microsoft Edge will be checked before opening.

As for malicious sites, whenever you visit a site that Microsoft considers unsafe, you will be greeted by a red screen with the following warning: "The site has been reported as unsafe! " .

You can still visit sites that have been flagged, but remember that you do so at your own risk.

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Additionally, users have the opportunity to help improve Microsoft Defender's SmartScreen by reporting any website they believe is a scam or even links to malicious software. Microsoft continuously cross-checks and verifies its database of safe websites, using reputable sources to verify them.

6. Enhanced Security Mode

Enhanced Security Mode is an additional layer of protection that works well with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. By enabling this feature, you'll browse the web more safely and help protect your browser from malware.

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It does this by running unknown websites without JIT compilation, enhancing the browser's protection against exploits. It also includes 3 protection features already included in the Windows operating system:

1. CFG : Control Flow Guard.
2. ACG : Arbitrary Code Guard.
3. HSP : Hardware-enforced Stack Protection.

Enhanced Security Mode allows you to choose between two levels of protection, Balanced and Strict , with Balanced being the recommended setting. Balanced mode regulates users' online behavior, while limiting or blocking features on certain websites to ensure safety. Strict mode limits or blocks certain features on every website you visit, although you can manually adjust which websites are restricted. This can be difficult to configure and very inconvenient, which is why most users should use Balanced mode.

7. Typo Protection

At first glance, some people may wonder how Typo Protection can be considered a security feature. First of all, many malicious websites rely on users making typos when writing URLs to access them. This type of scam is called "typosquatting" and it is becoming an increasingly common problem for Internet users.

Typo Protection works like a regular browser's autocorrect feature, except that it keeps a database of reputable website URLs, preventing users from making typos when writing URLs and thus ensuring that they always navigate to the websites they want to visit.

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Whenever you visit a website that Microsoft has flagged as having typos, you will receive a warning (similar to the one from Windows Defender SmartScreen) indicating that you may have made a typo. spelling of website name.

Additionally, most typosquatting attackers often create malicious websites with few malicious elements to avoid detection by services like Microsoft Defender SmartScreen.

While Microsoft Defender SmartScreen protects you from sites with suspicious content, Typo Protection protects you from sites that appear legitimate but have suspicious URLs.

8. Prevent tracking

No one likes when websites use trackers to collect information about their browsing activities, and if you find Edge Secure Network VPN too restrictive for your liking, Edge's Tracking Prevention feature is a great alternative.

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The great thing about this feature is that it is very beginner-friendly as there is no actual micromanagement involved in using it. All you have to do is choose between three Tracking Prevention levels: Basic, Balanced , and Strict.

This feature also allows you to see which websites have tried to track you, and you can also add websites that you like to the exception list.

9. Browse privately

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InPrivate Browsing is Microsoft Edge's version of Incognito Mode and works similarly.

For example, just like with the Incognito or Private tabs of other browsers, Microsoft Edge deletes all of your browsing data as soon as you close the InPrivate tab. This includes browsing history, authentication information, form data or website data.

One thing it does save, however, is the websites you've added to your favorites list, as well as any files you've downloaded through the InPrivate window. Additionally, you can still access data stored in your browser from regular windows, such as form data or saved passwords.

However, like the Incognito and Private tabs, InPrivate Browsing cannot keep your activity completely private. For example, people who monitor your network, such as your ISP, school, or work network manager, can still see what you're doing.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 07 November 2023