14 DAY TRIAL // The force is strong with Internet Explorer 8, now the most popular browser worldwide, and benefitting from the support of one of the most iconic characters in Star Wars, Yoda. Microsoft Spain has the Grand Master Jedi at the center of an initiative designed to help end users boost their protection against online-based attacks by utilizing IE8. Fact is that the combination of IE8 on operating systems such as Windows Vista and Windows 7, with User Account Control (UAC) enabled and the SmartScreen Filter will help customers stay secure from the risks lurking in the dark side of the Internet.
“My colleagues in Microsoft Spain have found a pretty creative way of talking about this with their new ‘Yoda’ campaign. Using the character from Star Wars, they have launched an online campaign designed to highlight staying safe online with Internet Explorer 8. Yoda represents the ‘bright side’ – or the Force - of the Internet that embodies Internet Explorer 8. Yoda (IE8) helps users stay away from the ‘Dark Side’ of the Internet by keeping them protected against identity theft, cross-site scripting attacks, phishing attempts, and malware,” Brandon LeBlanc, Windows communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team, revealed.
Both in March 2010 and in August 2009, Internet Explorer 8 bested all of its rivals in a comparison put together by NSS Labs, regarding the level of browser security against socially engineered malware and phishing. IE8’s SmartScreen Filter (the browser light saber, so to speak) proved unmatched in stopping socially engineered malicious code. According to NSS Labs, in the latest round of tests, IE8 blocked almost three times more malware samples than the runner-up, Firefox 3.5.
“Visitors who visit the campaign site and are not using Internet Explorer 8 get alerted by Yoda that they are at risk and should download Internet Explorer 8 to stay safe against the &ldsquo;Dark Side.’ The campaign website also has a ton of information on Internet Explorer 8 including how it keeps people protected, Internet Explorer browser add-ons, contests, social media downloads, and more,” LeBlanc added.
Users even have the chance of winning a trip to Orlando, Florida. Of course, the website is designed for residents of Spain.
Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) RTW is available for download here (for 32-bit and 64-bit flavors of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008).
Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) Platform Preview 2 is available for download here.