Security in Internet Explorer 8

These days online threats usually fall into two categories:

• Attacks on you
• Attacks on your computer

The newest version of Internet Explorer helps protect you from both of these threats.

Here are four ways Internet Explorer 8 can help you have a safe Web browsing experience.

1. Avoid phishing scams and malware. In Internet Explorer 8, the SmartScreen Filter helps to protect you from unsafe Web sites as you browse. It alerts you if a site you are trying to open has been reported as unsafe, and allows you to report unsafe sites yourself. For more information, see Use Microsoft products to help avoid malware.
2. Identify fake Web addresses. Internet Explorer 8 helps you avoid deceptive Web sites that are designed to trick you with misleading addresses. The domain name in the address bar is highlighted in black and the remainder of the address is in gray to make it easy to identify a Web site's true identity.
   
   
   
   For more information, see Extended Validation Certificates: FAQ.
3. Detect malicious code. The new Cross Site Scripting (XXS) Filter helps detect malicious code that's running on compromised Web sites. This type of code is used in identity theft. For more information, see How does Internet Explorer help protect me from cross-site scripting attacks?
4. Browse privately. If you want to help protect yourself from fraud when you use a public computer, it's a good idea to erase your tracks. InPrivate Browsing tells Internet Explorer not to record or save your browsing history, temporary Internet files, form data, cookies, and user names and passwords. For more information, see Internet Explorer 8: Browse privately.