The latest version of Microsoft Edge has a new hidden feature to keep you secure when browsing online. Known as “Super Duper Secure Mode,” the feature improves the performance of websites and disables a browser engine commonly abused by hackers.
According to Microsoft, Super Duper Secure Mode works in two ways, balanced and strict. Balanced will learn what websites you use and trust them to use Just in Time Engine (JIT), which speeds up tasks in JavaScript. Strict, meanwhile, can break some websites, but will disable the Just in Time Engine for better security. Edge users can also add their own exceptions as they see fit.
“Performance and complexity often come at a cost, and often we bear this cost in the form of security bugs and subsequent patches. Looking at CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) data after 2019 shows that roughly 45% of CVEs issued for V8 were related to the JIT engine,” explained Johnathan Norman, who is the Microsoft Edge vulnerability research lead.
Norman also said that with JIT off, user security is improved. Half of the V8 bugs end up getting removed, which means less frequent security updates and fewer emergency patches that tend to frustrate enterprise users.
You can update Microsoft Edge to version 86 today to try out the Super Super Secure Mode. Simply tap the three dots at the top right of the screen, then choose Help and Feedback > About Microsoft Edge. You can then restart the browser. Once restarted, visit Edge://flags and choose Enabled. If you find that the feature is causing issues with websites, simply switch it back to Disabled or Default.
This is just one of the many security and efficiency features in Microsoft Edge. Other features include strict tracking prevention, blocking trackers, and the option to send do not track requests. Microsoft even has a new Efficiency mode in Microsoft Edge. With the mode, Edge will be able to reduce CPU and RAM usage whenever your PC is low on power. so you can get more work done on the go.
Microsoft monitors feedback and adds new features to Edge. To get these features early, you can sign up to be an Edge Insider and try the Beta, Canary, or Dev versions of the browser.