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Microsoft Tests a Secured Edge Browser For Business (techradar.com)

Posted by msmash on from the sandbox-ftw dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Microsoft is in the testing stage of a new feature in its Edge browser for Windows 10 that is malware-proof as it partitions the browser window from the rest of the computer. This will be a welcome addition for users who are worried about the legitimacy of sites they want to visit. The new feature, catchily dubbed Windows Defender Application Guard, is part of the recently launched Windows Insider Previews. In order to access it you'll need to be a member of Microsoft's business service Enterprise, and have your settings calibrated so you're in the testing group called Fast Ring. Application Guard works by creating a virtual PC that is entirely separate from all storage, other apps, and the Windows 10 Kernel, meaning that the browser should be completely impervious to malware.

16 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. Is it only me that reads this as by Pope+Raymond+Lama · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Microsoft attests Edge browser is insecure by nature" as it does try to develop a separate "secure one"?

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  2. yeah, no by slashdice · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's like telling your wife you wore a condom every time you visited a whore house in Haiti.

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    1. Re:yeah, no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      What do you suggest?

      Not visiting Haiti?

    2. Re:yeah, no by dreamchaser · · Score: 2

      No, just bring your mistress instead of hiring prostitutes!

    3. Re:yeah, no by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 2

      'That time I hired a call girl to do my taxes while I fucked my accountant' - McAfee

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  3. So in other words... by MightyMartian · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It's a copy of Edge running in a virtual machine. How else would it be "separate from the kernel"?

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    1. Re:So in other words... by freeze128 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You know what else is "separate from the kernel"? Every other web browser.

    2. Re:So in other words... by the_skywise · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well if you (and I know this is slashdot) RTFA...

      "Application Guard works by creating a virtual PC that is entirely separate from all storage, other apps, and the Windows 10 Kernel, meaning that the browser should be completely impervious to malware."

      Except.. .you still need to be able to download files and I presume those would be in shared spaces outside the VM and install web apps/plug-ins which have to be saved outside the VM too. (Presuming you destroy/recreate the VM if it gets corrupted as you'd still want to keep the apps, cookie settings, bookmarks, passwords etc between nuke and paves so they have to be stored outside the sandbox.) That's still the exact same security risk as browsers have now... they're just moving the access points.

    3. Re:So in other words... by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 2

      I like the way Qubes OS is handling it.
      https://www.qubes-os.org/video-tours/
      It's almost like MS watched some of the videos...

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    4. Re:So in other words... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

      Psychical machine?

      A PC that is bat-shit crazy? One that can divine future events and talk to dead people?

      Your ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

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  4. Riiight... by ausekilis · · Score: 2

    Because nobody has escaped a VM before. It may be difficult, but to say "impossible" is only challenging the hackers of the world.

    1. Re:Riiight... by Luthair · · Score: 2

      At pwn2own someone(s) actually managed to break out of Edge and vmware - https://arstechnica.com/securi...

  5. Still trying to force feed browsers... by evolutionary · · Score: 3, Insightful

    MS never learns. they are still trying to force feed their browser and are probably going to get slapped by the EU commission and possibly a few others fro anti-trust violatios. Windows 10 S was a real interesting POS. "Get Windows 10 Professional to get default browser change ability". WTF. Time for Linux, unless you are a gamer I guess.

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  6. "Challenge Accepted" by kdekorte · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Hackers around the world are now saying "Challenge Accepted...". With all the corporate VPNs that work via the browser, I'm sure this is going to cause some compatibility issues somewhere.

  7. Re:Microsoft and Secure... by thegreatbob · · Score: 2

    What about putting the 'not' immediately to the left of Microsoft? Or finishing a sentence with a 'not!' ?

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  8. The problem with browsers and comanies... by acoustix · · Score: 2

    is that there are too many software packages in use by organizations that require legacy support that won't work within many new browsers. My company has software that requires IE9 with outdated plugins that haven't been developed since 2003. It's the only software that the company makes avaivable to interface with their engines. And the same employees have requirements for newer versions of IE, Firefox or Chrome. Then there are the Java apps that won't run in Firefox or Chrome anymore even with the latest Java release installed.

    It's a fricken nightmare anymore.

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