Microsoft decided to develop an all-new web-browser, Microsoft Edge, for the launch of Windows 10. Today, Microsoft went over some of the security improvements it has put into Microsoft Edge, which should make it safe to use compared to the current Internet Explorer browser.
One of the biggest changes in Edge over IE is that it will be a universal Windows app. The company stated:
"This fundamentally changes the process model, so that both the outer manager process, and the assorted content processes, all live within app container sandboxes. This provides the user and the platform with the confidence provided by other Windows store apps.
Microsoft Edge will also run as a 64-bit program every time it is used by a 64-bit processor, and not just via a default setting. The company says this move will allow for Windows ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) to be stronger:
"Attackers want to inject malicious code into your browser process via a coding bug, and then execute their malicious code. ASLR makes that harder by randomizing the memory layout of the process, making it hard for attackers to hit precise memory locations to achieve their ends. In turn, 64-bit processes make ASLR much more effective by making the address space exponentially larger, making it much more difficult for attackers to find the sensitive memory components they need."
Microsoft plans to add extension support to Edge sometime after it reaches its RTM stage which should allow for safer third-party apps to be made for the browser. You can learn more about Microsoft Edge in our recent feature story.
Source: Microsoft
