Edge 104 stable enables Enhanced Security mode for everyone

Microsoft Edge version 104.0.1293.47 is now available in the stable channel. It is the first browser release that enables the Enhanced Security feature by default. Formerly known as "Super Duper Security Mode", it had two options, Balanced and Strict. Starting with Edge 104 stable, it now adds new mode, "Basic", which is enabled by default.

If you are not familiar with this protection feature, it is a set of security mitigations for Microsoft Edge. It applies a number of workaround dynamically, e.g. disables JavaScript for certain scenarios, in order to keep your browsing more secure.

Here's how Microsoft describes the feature.

What is enhanced security mode?

This runs your unfamiliar sites without the just in time (JIT) compilation to provide added protection. Running JIT-less reduces attack surface, making it difficult for malicious sites to exploit.

The additional protection includes Windows operating system mitigations such as Hardware Enforced Stack Protection, Arbitrary Code Guard (ACG), and Control Flow Guard (CFG).

Since such changes in how the browser renders web pages may affect functionality and even performance, Microsoft kept it disable for quite a long. It exists in the stable branch of Edge since version 96, but it was disabled until now.

To find a balance between the impact on users' daily browsing tasks and security, Microsoft invented a new option, "Basic". In this mode the browser will protect you from all known threats. However, it won't apply heavy in-advance restrictions to sites you visit frequently. Instead, it will apply them only to website you visit rarely.

Other changes in Edge 104 stable are as follows.

• Enhance your security on the web. Improvements to Enhance your security on the web in edge://settings/privacy now include Basic as the new default option. With this option, Microsoft Edge will apply added security protection to the less visited sites. This feature preserves the user experience for the most popular sites on the web. For more information, see Browse more safely with Microsoft Edge.
• Import Chrome data without Chrome during First Run Experience. This feature lets a user bring in their Chrome data by logging in to their Google account during Microsoft Edge's First Run Experience. This feature can be turned off by disabling First Run Experience with the HideFirstRunExperience policy, or by setting AutoImportAtFirstRun to 'DisabledAutoImport'.

Finally, here are several new policies now available in Edge stable.

New policies

• AllowedDomainsForApps - Define domains allowed to access Google Workspace
• AskBeforeCloseEnabled - Get user confirmation before closing a browser window with multiple tabs
• BrowserCodeIntegritySetting - Configure browser process code integrity guard setting
• DoubleClickCloseTabEnabled - Double Click feature in Microsoft Edge enabled (only available in China)
• ImportOnEachLaunch - Allow import of data from other browsers on each Microsoft Edge launch
• QuickSearchShowMiniMenu - Enables Microsoft Edge mini menu
• PasswordManagerRestrictLengthEnabled - Restrict the length of passwords that can be saved in the Password Manager
• PDFXFAEnabled - XFA support in native PDF reader enabled
• TextPredictionEnabled - Text prediction enabled by default

The official announcement is here.

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