Microsoft Edge 98 hits the Beta channel with security improvements

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Microsoft has released the first Edge 98 build to the Beta channel. The browser version is 98.0.1108.23. It is notable for having the overlay scrollbars feature, and includes a number of security improvements that can protect users against zero-day attacks.

The change log for Edge 98 Beta has the following highlights.

What's new in Edge 98 Beta

  • Enhance your security on the web. A browsing mode in Microsoft Edge where the security of your browser takes priority, giving you an extra layer of protection when browsing the web. Administrators can apply the following Group Policies to end-user desktops (Windows, macOS, and Linux) to help protect against zero days. These policies also make that important sites and line of business applications continue to work as expected. This feature is a huge step forward because it lets us mitigate unforeseen active zero days (based on historical trends). When turned on, this feature brings Hardware-enforced Stack Protection, Arbitrary Code Guard (ACG), and Content Flow Guard (CFG) as supporting security mitigations to increase users' security on the web. Group Policies:
  • Custom primary password. The browser already has the capability where users can add an authentication step before saved passwords are auto-filled in web forms. This adds another layer of privacy and helps prevent unauthorized users from using saved passwords to log on websites. Custom primary password is an evolution of that same feature, where users will now be able to use a custom string of their choice as their primary password. After it's enabled, users will enter this password to authenticate themselves and have their saved passwords auto filled into web forms.
  • Overlay scrollbars added to Microsoft Edge. We've updated our scrollbars with an overlay-based design. Users can turn this feature on in edge://flags.

Besides, there are new group policies for system administrators.

New Group Policies in Edge 98

  • AddressBarEditingEnabled - Configure address bar editing.
  • EdgeFollowEnabled - Enable Follow service in Microsoft Edge.
  • EnhanceSecurityMode - Enhance the security state in Microsoft Edge.
  • EnhanceSecurityModeBypassListDomains - Configure the list of domains for which enhance security mode will not be enforced.
  • EnhanceSecurityModeEnforceListDomains - Configure the list of domains for which enhance security mode will always be enforced.
  • InAppSupportEnabled - In-app support Enabled.
  • MicrosoftEdgeInsiderPromotionEnabled - Microsoft Edge Insider Promotion Enabled.
  • PrintStickySettings - Print preview sticky settings.
  • SandboxExternalProtocolBlocked - Allow Microsoft Edge to block navigations to external protocols in a sandboxed iframe.
  • U2fSecurityKeyApiEnabled - Allow using the deprecated U2F Security Key API.

You will find more about these policies on this page.

If you have Edge Beta installed, it will be automatically updated to version 98. Otherwise, you can use the following links.

You can download pre-release Edge version for Insiders from here:

Finally, you can read more on the difference between Edge Stable, Beta, Dev and Canary in a dedicated post here.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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