Browser Security News

Microsoft has released the second beta version of its new Internet Explorer browser that is set to ship with the soon to be released Windows operating system Vista. However, you don’t have to wait for Vista to be released to check out IE 7. This is the second version of this browser and it’s very stable and offers a wide variety of the most requested security features that have been standard on other browsers like MozillaFirefox and Opera. Here’s a look at the security features.

ActiveX opt-in–Disables nearly all pre-installed ActiveX controls to prevent potentially vulnerable controls from being exposed to attack. You can easily enable or disable ActiveX controls as needed through the Information Bar and the Add-on Manager.

This was the number one requested feature and the most exploited flaw within older versions of IE. Other non-Microsoft browsers gained widespread usage because they didn’t include this active vector in their browser release.

Phishing filter–Proactively warns and helps protect you against potential or known fraudulent sites and blocks the site if appropriate. The opt-in filter is updated several times per hour using the latest security information from Microsoft and several industry partners.

Phishing is directing unsuspected users to sites that look like their banking web page and harvesting privacy and financial information. Microsoft is trying to build a phishing database and warn users about fraudulent sites before any information is transferred to these criminals. Check out IE 7’s security features