Developer Briefing — January 15, 2020
Microsoft released the Chromium-based Edge browser for Windows and macOS with enterprise management, Internet Explorer mode, and new security controls, prompting organizations to validate deployment policies and extension governance.
Executive briefing: On , Microsoft made the Chromium-based Edge browser generally available for Windows and macOS. The release introduces built-in support for modern web standards, group policy controls aligned with Chrome management, and an Internet Explorer mode for legacy sites, requiring enterprise packaging, testing, and conditional access checks before rollout.
Why it matters: Default Chromium compatibility reduces web fragmentation but expands the extension ecosystem and associated supply-chain risk. Administrators must review updated security baselines, certificate trust behavior, and synchronization policies before enabling profile sign-in across domains.
- Deploy and test: Validate installation channels (MSI or offline packages) and configure mandatory and recommended policies (extension allow/deny lists, password manager, Safe Browsing/SmartScreen) using the Windows and macOS administrative templates.
- Legacy access: Map legacy line-of-business sites to the integrated Internet Explorer mode and ensure the site list XML is version-controlled to prevent unintended rendering changes.
- Identity and data controls: Apply conditional access and sync restrictions for Azure AD accounts, verify cloud data residency requirements, and disable uncontrolled profile synchronization on shared devices.
- Extension governance: Audit existing Chrome-based extensions for code-signing provenance, permissions requested, and update cadence before approving organization-wide deployment.