In December of the previous year, Microsoft revealed plans to phase out Microsoft Defender Application Guard (MDAG), previously known as Windows Defender Application Guard, from the Edge browser. Following this announcement, additional insights were provided in April 2024, highlighting that the removal was scheduled for June 2024.
This week, Microsoft has officially stated that MDAG has been deprecated and eliminated in Windows 11 version 24H2, which also includes the discontinuation of the Windows Isolated app launcher APIs. It is important to note that this change primarily impacts enterprise users, leaving home users unaffected as the feature was tailored for business environments.
On its dedicated webpage listing the features being removed from Windows, Microsoft explains:
Microsoft Defender Application Guard and the Windows Isolated App Launcher APIs have been deprecated for Microsoft Edge for Business and will no longer be available starting with Windows 11, version 24H2.
For those unfamiliar with Application Guard’s functionality, it utilized the Windows Isolated app launcher APIs to assess visited URLs against a trusted site list. URLs not recognized would trigger Edge to open them within a secure, isolated virtual machine container.
Moreover, Microsoft has updated the deprecation listing to include WDAG removal:
[Update – October 2024]: From Windows 11, version 24H2 onwards, Microsoft Defender Application Guard, along with the Windows Isolated App Launcher APIs, is no longer available.
According to Microsoft, the necessity for this feature has diminished with the latest Windows 11 version, thanks to the introduction of advanced security features in Edge that protect users from threats such as phishing, typosquatting, and data loss. The company notes:
The enhanced security functionalities in Edge render Application Guard unnecessary. The expanding range of protective features includes:
- Defender SmartScreen for safeguarding against phishing attempts, malware support, and URL scanning/blocking.
- Enhanced security mode to defend against vulnerabilities related to memory by disabling just-in-time JavaScript compilation (along with other protective measures).
- Protection against typographical errors in URLs pointing to malicious websites.
- Data Loss Prevention capabilities for identifying, monitoring, and automatically safeguarding sensitive information.
Image Credits: Neowin.net
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