Microsoft maximises Edge security

Stefan Mileschin · 9th August 2021, 06:48

Super Duper Secure Mode

Microsoft said this week it plans to run an experiment in its Edge web browser where it will intentionally disable an important performance and optimization feature to enable more advanced security upgrades in what the company is calling Edge Super Duper Secure Mode.

Johnathan Norman, Microsoft Edge Vulnerability Research Lead, said the idea behind the new Super Duper Secure Mode is to disable support for JIT (Just-In-Time) inside V8, the Edge browser's JavaScript engine. JIT, while unknown to most end-users, plays a crucial role in all of today's web browsers. JIT works by taking JavaScript and compiling it to machine code ahead of time. If the browser needs the code, it gains a significant speed boost. If it doesn't, the code is discarded.

JIT support in V8 is is a pain apparently and JIT-related security issues amounted to 45 percent of all V8 vulnerabilities in 2019.

More than half of the "in the wild" Chrome exploits rely on JIT-related bugs. Norman said that recent tests carried out by the Edge team have shown that despite its pivotal role in speeding up browsers in the early and mid-2010s, JIT is not a crucial feature anymore to Edge's performance.

https://fudzilla.com/news/53340-micr...-edge-security

9th August 2021, 06:48	#1
Stefan Mileschin [M] Reviewer Join Date: May 2010 Location: Romania Posts: 148,797	Microsoft maximises Edge security Super Duper Secure Mode Microsoft said this week it plans to run an experiment in its Edge web browser where it will intentionally disable an important performance and optimization feature to enable more advanced security upgrades in what the company is calling Edge Super Duper Secure Mode. Johnathan Norman, Microsoft Edge Vulnerability Research Lead, said the idea behind the new Super Duper Secure Mode is to disable support for JIT (Just-In-Time) inside V8, the Edge browser's JavaScript engine. JIT, while unknown to most end-users, plays a crucial role in all of today's web browsers. JIT works by taking JavaScript and compiling it to machine code ahead of time. If the browser needs the code, it gains a significant speed boost. If it doesn't, the code is discarded. JIT support in V8 is is a pain apparently and JIT-related security issues amounted to 45 percent of all V8 vulnerabilities in 2019. More than half of the "in the wild" Chrome exploits rely on JIT-related bugs. Norman said that recent tests carried out by the Edge team have shown that despite its pivotal role in speeding up browsers in the early and mid-2010s, JIT is not a crucial feature anymore to Edge's performance. https://fudzilla.com/news/53340-micr...-edge-security

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Microsoft Edge beta is now optimized for your M1 Mac	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	19th January 2021 07:24
Microsoft's Chromium Edge browser is here	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	17th January 2020 07:38
Google users can sign into Firefox and Edge with a security key	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	1st April 2019 09:24
Microsoft Edge is tanking	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	21st December 2017 05:32
Microsoft presentation gives up on Edge	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	3rd November 2017 05:37
Microsoft explains why Edge has so few extensions	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	4th October 2017 18:55
Microsoft loses security Edge	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	13th December 2016 14:17
How to Turn Off Tab Previews in Microsoft Edge	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	18th August 2016 16:48
How to Reset Microsoft Edge in Windows 10	Stefan Mileschin	WebNews	0	17th February 2016 07:09
Microsoft Security Patch Can Cause Security Issues to Internet Explorer	jmke	WebNews	0	18th August 2006 10:09