Edge previews new feature that protects you better against "scareware" scam

Microsoft is now opening up the preview of Scareware Blocker for Edge, its popular browser.

Initially announced during the Ignite conference last year, the Scareware Blocker promises to protect you better against “scareware” scams, which use aggressive tactics like full-screen alerts, audio warnings, and fake virus notifications to trick users into contacting fraudulent tech support.

For now, the feature is available as a preview for Edge users on Windows PCs under the “Privacy, Search, and Services” settings. You can then give feedback on false alarms or report malicious sites to help improve detection and reduce scams.

Microsoft says that the feature uses a local machine learning model, which runs locally in your device without uploading your data to the cloud, to detect and disrupt these scams. It does so by exiting full-screen mode, stopping audio playback, and warning users with a preview of the blocked page.

It’s part of the laundry list of conscious efforts that Edge has been making in recent months to tighten its security belt.

A while ago, Microsoft also introduced a new Publish API as a part of the Secure Future Initiative (SFI) on Edge, which will reduce vulnerabilities and improve credential management. The update can automatically generate API keys, securely store them, and manage their expiration every 72 days, replacing the need for static credentials.

Still from Edge-related news, the browser’s Game Assist feature is also now available in stable version 132. This feature was first previewed in Beta and is now fully launched, offering players the ability to view help without switching between windows.