Microsoft has further improved the Edge web browser’s Password Monitoring feature. The Password Health feature will proactively alert users about maintaining proper password hygiene.
The Password Monitor feature now has a Password Health column on the password page list in Settings. The feature will alert Microsoft Edge web browser users about multiple aspects.
A new column in Microsoft Edge will warn about password strength & reuse:
Microsoft had previously introduced Password Monitor in the Edge browser. The feature promised to help the browser users “protect their online privacy and security”.
Password Monitor needed users to save their login credentials. This allowed users to quickly enter the relevant login username and password.
Microsoft Edge Canary gains improved Password Health feature – https://t.co/MMDhtHdGYI pic.twitter.com/tLB4G8BrOK
— MSPoweruser (@mspoweruser) May 22, 2021
Microsoft’s Password Monitor proactively monitors the saved logins for matches against credentials leaked to the Dark Web. Microsoft has been monitoring for leaked credentials for enterprise customers and their Azure Active Directory (AAD) accounts for a long time.
Members of Microsoft Research and Microsoft Edge teams have created Password Monitor, a new feature using homomorphic encryption to alert you if any of your passwords are unsafe to use or have been breached—all while keeping your information private: https://t.co/76u50SMqH6
— Microsoft Research (@MSFTResearch) January 21, 2021
Password Monitor brought this service to all customers and accounts on the Edge web browser. The Password Health feature builds upon the Password Monitor feature.
The Password Health will appear as a new column in the Saved Passwords page inside Edge browser settings. Microsoft has added the feature to the Edge Canary 92.0.895.0.
How to use the Password Health to proactively safeguard against “credential stuffing” attacks:
Internet and web-based companies dread poor password hygiene, but millions of users do not follow procedures about using strong and complex passwords.
Attackers routinely rely on leaked usernames and passwords to gain access to multiple online accounts via “credential stuffing” attacks. Essentially, automated scripts try different username and password combinations with the goal of hijacking accounts.
The new Password Monitor feature in Microsoft Edge protects your online accounts from hackers – https://t.co/ZE5MpIjyN0 pic.twitter.com/PUXCiLyOPj
— MSPoweruser (@mspoweruser) March 30, 2020
Millions of users reuse the same passwords or weak passwords for multiple services and platforms. Hence, it becomes easier for attackers to gain unauthorized entry to several online platforms with a single database of usernames and passwords.
The Password Health column offers a simple visual that indicates just how secure the password is. The feature will also advise users on weak passwords.
Password monitor, vertical tabs… wait, Microsoft Edge is interesting? https://t.co/PgJPccICJc
— Ars Technica (@arstechnica) April 6, 2020
Additionally, the feature will also alert users if they are using the same passwords on other sites. Users can also sort login credentials by site, weakness, reuse, and leaks. The feature is important because users can prioritize how they want to view and address the issues it detects.
It seems Microsoft fully intends to introduce the Password Health feature to the stable version of Edge browser soon. However, the Windows 10 OS maker is gradually releasing the same.
Incidentally, Google Chrome too received a very similar feature. However, Google is proactively working to retire passwords.