The latest Windows 10 update has improved Edge's security
Windows 10's latest major update has also brought an important improvement to Edge's security. It seems that Microsoft's web browser now uses SmartScreen protection to keep its users safe from drive-by attacks. In case you're still using Internet Explorer, this latest enhancement has also been added to IE 11, so you can now feel a bit safer.
For those of you who are less tech-savvy, a drive-by attack redirects the users from a trusted website that's been compromised to webpage controlled by the attacker. The webpage where a user lands is embedded with the code that will try to silently install malware on the victim's PC by exploiting known software vulnerabilities in Flash, Java, Word, etc. At least in theory, this enhanced SmartScreen protection will block the malware-containing page before it has time to load. Why only in theory? Because the blocking is done based upon a database with known malware pages and if you're one of the "lucky" first to discover an uncharted attack point, you will be completely vulnerable.
Edge's SmartScreen
If you stumble upon a website known for using malware or other tools in order to achieve nefarious purposes, Edge will display a red page which will warn you about the danger ahead (as you can see in the image). In case you still want to see the webpage, despite the danger, you will need to click on the More information button and find your way from there. It's basically the same as Google's SmartScreen protection with the big difference that Microsoft has the capability to block individual frames instead of just entire webpages.
In case cybersecurity is a field that interests you, you might also want to read my previous articles: "What is ransomware and how to protect yourself against it" and "How to know and what to do if your router has been infected".
