Microsoft tests Windows Defender extensions for Chrome and Firefox

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Microsoft started testing with Insider users its new Windows Defender Application Guard for both Chrome and Firefox users. The extension is designed to protect enterprise PCs against attacks. It used to be an Edge-exclusive feature, but it is now making its way to the two other browsers. What it does is it opens untrusted URLs not listed in administrators’ trusted sites in a virtual container. It helps prevent any attackers from immediately gaining access into a company’s system if the site does turn out to be a malicious one.

For the extension to do its job, you’ll need the companion app from the Microsoft Store and the Edge browser. If the extension finds the URL isn’t from the trusted list, it’ll open it in an isolated Edge session. Any link you click in the isolated session that’s from a trusted site will launch right back in your original browser. The extension is currently only available to Insider users, but it should be coming to more users soon.

Source: Engadget

Autoplaying videos on Firefox will soon be played on mute by default

Don’t you just hate it when a video just starts playing in the background on your browser and disturbs the peace? Well, Mozilla is doing its part to make sure you aren’t annoyed by the sounds of an autoplaying video. The upcoming Firefox 66 version will automatically mute any autoplaying video or audio clip, unless you actively click on the play button. You can also manually allow sites to autoplay videos—like YouTube, where it’s expected that people want videos to play as normally as possible. There will be a new icon that pops up in the URL bar when a site blocks an autoplaying video or audio clip.

What you must remember though is the videos will continue to play, you just won’t be able to hear them. So, you still need to keep an eye out for these bandwidth-hogging videos. Also, sites where users allow the browser to access their camera and microphone are exempted. These are typically used for audio and video conferences, so the exception makes sense. This feature is expected to roll out on March 19^th.

Source: TechCrunch

Qualcomm, Mozilla working on native Firefox browser for Windows on ARM

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Qualcomm and Mozilla recently announced it’s working on a 64-bit version of the Firefox browser for Qualcomm-powered Windows machines that run on ARM. Having a native version of the app promises better performance for the browser. The browser tab will run on individual cores in the CPU and Qualcomm says there are plenty of cores to spare. Mozilla writes in a blog post about the collaboration saying, “Mozilla is excited to be collaborating with Qualcomm and optimizing Firefox. We can’t wait to see Firefox delivering blazing fast experiences for the always on, always connected, multi-core Snapdragon compute platform with Windows 10.”

Source: The Verge

Mozilla CEO shares concern over Microsoft shutting down EdgeHTML

While Microsoft Edge is far from being a popular browser (market share is at 4.34 percent according to NetMarketShare), the idea that Microsoft plans to give it up to use Google’s Chromium rendering engine isn’t sitting well with its competition. The move signals a homogenization of the browsing market, which is a valid concern but something we’re dealing with as we speak. Mozilla, the non-profit behind the Firefox browser, expressed its concern through a post from its CEO Chris Beard. The non-profit acknowledges the move makes business sense but it doesn’t like the idea that this move empowers Google to “single-handedly decide what possibilities are available to each one of us.”

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