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D_o_S
09-05-2006, 03:42 PM
The whole net seems to be filled with nasty things these days, adware, spyware, viruses and the like plague our browsing experience. Soon though, all surfing security worries could be a thing of the past - with the launch of BrowserShield (http://research.microsoft.com/displayArticle.aspx?id=1521), a Microsoft endorsed, on-the-fly code checker that should help stop malware from getting on peoples computers in real time.

The new security program, being developed by Microsoft's Research Systems & Networking Research Group was intended to provide an answer to the problem of zero-day browser exploits (like the Windows Metafile attack of December '05) and insecure unpatched web browsers.

Helen Wang, the head of the project had this to say:

"This can provide another layer of security, even on unpatched browsers. If a patch isn't available, a BrowserShield - enabled tool bar can be used to clean pages hosting malicious content.""

BrowserShield will check all code before it loads up removing anything that it deems malicious. How this will affect websites will only be determinable when the software has actually been launched, however, the intention is that it will protect less technically minded users from themselves. The primary goal will be to help them avoid popup download prompts which actually contain viruses, a favourite method for hackers to attack the innocent. A secondary effect will mean viruses won’t be able to spread as easily, making the whole net a safer more efficient place.

Source: Bit-tech (http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/09/05/Microsoft_to_launch_BrowserShield/)

Alec§taar
09-05-2006, 05:06 PM
BrowserShield will check all code before it loads up removing anything that it deems malicious. How this will affect websites will only be determinable when the software has actually been launched, however, the intention is that it will protect less technically minded users from themselves. The primary goal will be to help them avoid popup download prompts which actually contain viruses, a favourite method for hackers to attack the innocent. A secondary effect will mean viruses won’t be able to spread as easily, making the whole net a safer more efficient place.

This is a GOOD idea on Ms' end imo @ least: I currently turn off javascript (all web browsers here) &/or ActiveX usage (IE) on the public internet because of this lunacy being turned up in ad-banners & other DHTML content.

(I don't LIKE doing it, but I have to more-or-less. BUT, everytime I hit a site I absolutely NEED to access & turn it on for it? I wonder how much of a risk I am running when I do so...)

Hopefully, it works!

* & those creating those monstrosities don't figure out a way around this tool (they probably will in its initial releases, & then MS will patch for those exceptions @ some point, correcting it totally).

APK