Monday, April 24, 2006

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 to Windows Internet Explorer 7

Windows Internet Explorer 7 beta has got some cool features other than most common visible multitab browsing support. Here are some of them:

1. Phishing Filter:-

Here are some FAQs about phishing from Internet Explorer Help.
What is phishing?
Online phishing (pronounced like the word fishing) is a way to trick computer users into revealing personal or financial information through an e-mail message or website. A common online phishing scam starts with an e-mail message that looks like an official notice from a trusted source, such as a bank, credit card company, or reputable online merchant. In the e-mail message, recipients are directed to a fraudulent website where they are asked to provide personal information, such as an account number or password. This information is then usually used for identity theft.
What is Phishing Filter and how can it help protect me?
Phishing Filter is a feature in Internet Explorer that helps detect phishing websites. Phishing Filter uses three methods to help protect you from phishing scams. First, it compares the addresses of websites you visit against a list of sites reported to Microsoft as legitimate. This list is stored on your computer. Second, it helps analyze the sites you visit to see if they have the characteristics common to a phishing website. Third, with your consent, Phishing Filter sends some website addresses to Microsoft to be further checked against a frequently updated list of reported phishing websites.
If the site you are visiting is on the list of reported phishing websites, Internet Explorer will display a warning webpage and a notification on the Address bar. From the warning webpage, you can continue or close the page. If the website contains characteristics common to a phishing site but isn't on the list, Internet Explorer will only notify you in the Address bar that it might possibly be a phishing website. You can click the notification for more information.
Is Phishing Filter always on?
No. When you first install Internet Explorer, Phishing Filter only compares the addresses of the websites you visit against the list of legitimate websites that is saved on your computer. It also helps analyze these sites to see if they have the characteristics common to a phishing website. No information is sent to Microsoft unless you choose to send it. The first time you visit a website that is not on the legitimate website list, you will be prompted to indicate whether you want to check websites automatically. If you choose this option, Phishing Filter will send certain website addresses to Microsoft to be checked against a frequently updated list of reported phishing sites and alert you about suspicious or reported phishing websites. If you choose not to check websites automatically, Phishing Filter will display an icon ( ) on the Internet Explorer status bar. To check the website, click the icon, and then click Check this Website. You can also check websites from Internet Explorer.

2. Zones:

Internet Explorer has different security zones for home internet users. Now, with Internet Explorer 7, it will automatically detect if user belongs to any intranet, then only intranet zone would be active. For home users, it would be inactive automatically to reduce the chance of using intranet zone settings by some malicious site.

3. Improved User Interface:

Internet Explorer 7 has improved User Interface a lot. It has better managed UI to use comparatively less space leaving more space for site navigation. Eg. Microsoft recognized very less use of File Menu, probably that’s the reason the File Menu remains hidden unless you press ALT key from your KeyBoard.

There can be a lot other features, which I could not explore. Would be great, if some one can add more in the list.

Guys who don’t want to take risk of using beta version (as I have noticed some of the sites crashing with Internet Explorer 7, at the same time working fine with Internet Explorer 6 or Firefox) and want to get some of these cool feature in their existing Internet Explorer 6, two of the most important features tabbed browsing and Phishing filters are available through MSN toolbar (Ad-In to Internet Explorer 6)

And yes… have you noticed? Microsoft has renamed Microsoft Internet Explorer to Windows Internet Explorer.

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