Topic: ie7 Beta 2

[ssj4gogita4]

Microsoft addressed IE security last summer with the release of the Service Pack 2 upgrade to Windows XP. Besides adding a pop-up blocker, it created additional prompts when Web sites try to remotely install programs and change browser settings.

Nonetheless, IE remains a frequent target for hackers given its widespread use, and Microsoft regularly issues new warnings and fixes for various vulnerabilities that might otherwise open the door to malicious programs like spyware.

So for IE 7, Microsoft made some under-the-hood changes to the underlying programming code.

The most significant alterations deal with the way IE handles Web site requests.

In previous versions, there are several sections of the code that handle a Web request, whether it comes from typing the address, clicking on a link or using the "File-Open" menu function. That means several sections where problems can occur.

The code was rewritten in IE 7 to consolidate all that into one entry point, a move that also lays the foundation for future recognition of non-English domain names.

For now, users are more likely to notice other changes that serve to warn them about suspect sites.

A real-time anti-phishing tool was built to address scammers who try to trick people into revealing passwords by posing as legitimate banking or e-commerce site.

When IE 7 encounters an unfamiliar site, it gives users the option of passing that address to Microsoft to check against a database of known phishing sites. When there's a match, IE 7 takes you to a "red" warning page.

Even when there isn't a match, IE 7 will display a pop-up "yellow" warning when it sees telltale signs of phishing.

In addition, all browser windows now contain the site's address. In the past, Web designers could hide that information by creating a pop-up window that lacks an address bar. When they try that on IE 7, the browser still displays the domain name.

IE 7 also displays a padlock up top -- before, it was less visible at the bottom -- when you visit secure, encrypted sites. You can click on the padlock for a pop-up window with details about who's behind the site.

The browser adds a feature for instantly deleting private data -- "cookie" files, browsing history, passwords and the like -- though the tool doesn't offer as much flexibility as Opera's in choosing which data to toss. Again, this all may be better by the final release.

[williambob286]

Do you know the link?