Microsoft announced in an interview at Ignite 2016 that its new web browser, Edge, which is available exclusively for Windows 10, will be equipped with an additional layer of security.
The application will use virtualization to isolate threats and run websites and web applications in a secure environment. The new feature is called “Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge.” It uses a lightweight virtual machine to provide greater security to the browser and isolate it from its surrounding environment.
Behind this new feature is a new technology called Virtualization-Based Security (VBS). It is powered by Hyper-V, which acts as a lightweight virtual machine. Microsoft claims that with the new feature, it will not allow a hacker to gain access to sensitive data as long as the user is using Edge.
Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge provides a number of core Windows features in a VM that is available to the browser. It is a minimalist VM that includes only the essential features and components that the browser requires to function properly. According to Microsoft, this further reduces the risks of an attack.
If a user needs something that doesn't fit the new security mode for Edge, they can mark a website as "trusted." This will allow the browser to bypass the security and run the relevant process like a regular program with all the permissions available from the operating system.
This feature is limited to Edge only. The technology will not be available for third-party apps. In the future, Microsoft could extend this protection to other apps, but only for built-in Windows apps.
Windows Defender Application Guard will initially be available only for Windows 10 Enterprise. It is unclear when it will be accessible to users of other editions.
Watch a related video from Microsoft below:
