Technology

The Best Security Tools in Microsoft Edge

Privacy is a very important component to the web browser that you use. Pretty much every single website on the internet has some form of tracker in it, which means that with every site you visit, the less privacy you potentially have.

Microsoft’s flagship browser – Microsoft Edge – takes many measures to preserve the privacy of its users. It contains a number of tools for this, and more are set to be added. TechQuarters, who provide IT support financial services companies rely on, are very conscious about their privacy, and the privacy of their customer. They are a Microsoft Partner and so strongly recommend not only using Microsoft Edge, but taking the time to learn about its privacy settings.

Block Trackers

As mentioned above, trackers are tools that sites on the web use to save information about you and your browsing history. With Microsoft Edge, there is a built in tracker blocker, and there are three different levels of protection that it uses to define which trackers are blocked, and which are allowed to operate:

  • Basic – this is the bare minimum level of protection that Microsoft Edge offers against trackers. The only trackers it blocks are ones that Microsoft have defined as malicious – therefore it keeps users safe from outright criminal tracking.
  • Balanced – this is the default level of protection that is setup after installation. Like with the basic setting, it blocks all malicious trackers, but it will also block some third-party trackers as well.
  • Strict – if you are especially privacy conscious, you can opt for strict protection, which blocks most third-party trackers altogether.

When installing Microsoft Edge, it comes with the Balanced protection setup, but you can easily switch levels by going into the settings. Firstly, click on the menu from the top-right corner (the three dots), and select Settings. Next, open Privacy, search, and services. Ensure that Tracking prevention is enabled, and select whichever level you want to use.

Clear Cookies

A cookie is a nugget of information about you that is saved to your browser. They make websites load quicker; they remember your logins, your shopping carts, and much more. Unfortunately there are some ways that criminals can steal those cookies from your browser, which is why Microsoft Edge has the option to erase all cookies every time you close the app. Here is how to set this up:

  • Open the menu from the top-right corner of the browser (the three dots), and select Settings.
  • Open Privacy, search, and services, and then scroll down to Clear browsing data.
  • Click to expand Choose what to clear every time you close the browser.
  • By switching on the option for Cookies and other site data, this type of information will be deleted each time you close the Edge app.
  • You also have the option to preserve the cookies of certain sites, by clicking Add next to Don’t clear.

If you want to manually clear your cookies, go back to Privacy, search, and services, and click on Clear browsing data now. Click on Choose what to clear, and it will ask you which type of data you want to delete. Here you can select cookies. You can also choose from which time frame you want data to be deleted – ranging from last hour to all time. When you are ready, click Clear now.

Fingerprinting

Digital fingerprinting is where a site or service is able to gather little bits of info (like cookies, or the data that trackers retrieve), and use it to form a digital profile of your device. It is not like a profile of you as a person, but for the sake of marketing, advertising, it is just as valuable. Browser fingerprinting is one of the things that Microsoft Edge’s security tools are designed to help prevent. By using the above security tools, you can reduce fingerprinting of your device.

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