Microsoft’s web browser will soon have a integrated virtual private network service. referred to as ‘Microsoft Edge Secure Network’will be powered by Cloudflare, will offer 1 Gbyte of data for free, and will be seamlessly integrated into the browser.
Microsoft Edge VPN will work very similar to existing commercial services or other web browsers that include it by default, such as Opera or Firefox. Microsoft ensures that it will permanently delete diagnostic and support data collected every 25 hours.
Microsoft Edge VPN: Features
You already know that a VPN is a network technology that allows you to safely extend a local network over a public network such as the Internet. Very useful in companies to connect offices, technical services or for remote access, it is also used at the consumer level to improve privacy, bypass region locks or avoid censorship. Its use in consumption has increased exponentially in recent years and today there is a wide range of paid services, free, and also those included in web browsers.
In practice, these virtual point-to-point connections hide the user’s IP address and redirect Internet traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel. This degree of “invisibility” offers direct improvements in security against computer attacks, privacy against data theft and identity theft, and other added benefits that any user can take advantage of.
The operation of the Microsoft Edge VPN should not be very different from the rest with features such as:
- connection encryption– Encrypts the Internet connection to help protect user data from online threats.
- Secure network and connections. User data is routed from the Edge through an encrypted tunnel to create a secure connection, even when using an insecure HTTP URL. This makes it difficult for hackers to access browsing data on a shared public Wi-Fi network.
- Help prevent online tracking. By encrypting web traffic directly from Microsoft Edge, Microsoft helps prevent users’ Internet service provider from collecting browsing data, such as details about the websites users visit.
- Keeps the user’s location private. Online entities may use a user’s location and IP address to create profiles and serve targeted advertisements. The Microsoft Edge Secure Network allows users to browse with a virtual IP address that masks users’ IP and replaces their geographic location with a similar regional address to make it harder for online trackers to follow users as they browse.
- Free use. Microsoft will offer 1 Gbyte of free data monthly.
- The service will be powered by the provider Cloudflare.
Microsoft Edge VPN is expected to be included in the next version of the browser. Once Microsoft implements it, a new entry will be available in the general settings menu located in the upper right corner of the browser. To activate it, users will need to sign in with a Microsoft ID account. A shield icon will indicate if the service is active and the feature will automatically turn off when the user closes the Edge window. Microsoft promises that it will permanently delete diagnostic and support data collected every 25 hours.
Microsoft will limit the free service to 1 GB of monthly data and has not mentioned whether it will later offer a subscription model that allows users to extend it. There are more complete commercial (and also free) VPN services, but Microsoft will play the card of integration and ease of use at the click of a button from the same browser without having to install add-ons or additional applications.
