Microsoft Edge is getting a new feature that should prevent the installation of unwanted apps when you’re browsing the web (via The Verge). The feature is currently available on Microsoft Edge Insider builds, but it’s currently opt-in.
Eric Lawrence from the Edge team explained on Twitter that this new feature should complement the existing Microsoft Defender Smartscreen technology that protects Edge users from malicious websites and downloads. “The feature shown here goes further by optionally blocking downloads that contain potentially unwanted (but not technically malware) code– think a utility app that also bundles in a crypto miner or notification spammer,” explained Lawrence.
Base SmartScreen and SafeBrowsing both block malware. The feature shown here goes further by optionally blocking downloads that contain potentially unwanted (but not technically malware) code– think a utility app that also bundles in a crypto miner or notification spammer.
— ???? Eric Lawrence (@ericlaw) January 31, 2020
If you’re running the Canary, Dev or Beta version of Edge on your PC or Mac, you can find this new setting for blocking potentially unwanted apps in Settings > Privacy and Services. This looks to be a useful addition to Microsoft’s Chromium-based browser, though it’s not clear yet when it will roll out to the stable version of Microsoft Edge.
