Microsoft is experimenting with a new feature for enhanced security while browsing the internet via Edge. The browser already provides three levels of privacy protection, including Basic, Balanced, and Strict. But now, Microsoft Edge is testing a new feature called Super Duper Secure mode for even better security. You will learn everything about this feature in this article. That includes what is Super Duper Secure mode in Edge, its pros and cons, and how to enable it to test the upcoming feature right now.
Edge’s Super Duper Secure mode is currently available behind a feature flag in Canary, Dev, and Beta channels. If you use Edge on any of these channels, here’s how you can try it out ahead of the general release.
- What is Super Duper Secure Mode in Microsoft Edge?
- Benefits of Microsoft Edge Super Duper Secure Mode
- Disadvantages of Microsoft Edge Super Duper Secure Mode
- Enable Super Duper Secure Mode in Microsoft Edge
What is Super Duper Secure Mode in Microsoft Edge?
Super Duper Secure Mode (SDSM) is an experimental feature in Edge to improve the browser’s security. The name of this feature is currently a little…edgy, but Microsoft says it may change the name before it ships the feature to the stable version. And of course, since this is an experimental feature, there’s a chance that SDSM may never make its way to the stable Edge build.
To improve the security of the Microsoft Edge browser, what Super Duper Secure mode does is disable JIT (TurboFan/ Sparkplug). Instead, it enables Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET), which is Intel’s hardware-based exploit mitigation system to protect PCs against common malware. Microsoft hopes to add Arbitrary Code Guard (ACG) and Control Flow Guard (CFG) protection in the foreseeable future. The company also has plans to bring this feature to Android and Mac versions of Edge.
A core benefit of using this mode is increased security. According to Microsoft, enabling the feature would remove half of the V8 bugs since it disables JIT. It also results in a decreased demand for frequent security patches and emergency patches once a critical JIT-related vulnerability is spotted in the wild.
As for the disadvantages of this approach, the most obvious one is performance, now that JIT is not in action. However, according to Microsoft’s lab tests, most users are unlikely to notice the difference. Microsoft ran tests across different categories, including power, startup, memory, and page load.
Enable Super Duper Secure Mode in Microsoft Edge
Now that you know what Edge’s upcoming security mode is all about, here’s how to try it out right now. Follow the steps below to enable the SDSM Edge flag:
