New Chrome and Firefox extensions from Microsoft bring hardware isolation technology to more browsers

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Published onMay 23, 2019

published onMay 23, 2019

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Microsoft has created a new browser extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox users who care about security. Thenew Windows Defender Application Guard extensionsfor the two browsers provide the same hardware-based isolation technology found on Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, and they will automatically redirect users to an isolated Microsoft Edge session when they’re visiting untrusted websites.

Once the extension is installed, users will be able to open an Application Guard session anytime by just clicking the extension icon in the browser. “In the isolated Microsoft Edge session, the user can freely navigate to any site that has not been explicitly defined as enterprise-trusted by their organization without any risk to the rest of system. With our upcoming dynamic switching capability, if the user tries to go to an enterprise site while in an isolated Microsoft Edge session, the user is taken back to the default browser,” the company explained.

The new extensions forChromeandFirefoxrequire the configuration of Windows Defender Application Guard on Windows 10 PCs, plus the definition of network isolation settings by IT admins, as well as the installation of a newWindows Defender Application Guardcompanion app from the Microsoft Store. This app is the component that will allow Chrome and Firefox users to browse untrusted sites in the isolated Microsoft Edge environment.

Last year, Microosft previously released aWindows Defender Application for Google Chrome, but this one only provides a real-time indicator of harmful sites and website status to the browser. It can be used by all Windows 10 users, unlike these new Windows Defender Application Guard extensions which are designed first and foremost for the enterprise world. “We know that many of our customers depend on multi-browser environments to allow enterprise apps to meet various compatibility requirements and enable productivity,” the company explained today.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

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Radu Tyrsina

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