anavem.
Medium RiskWindowsLegitimateCommonly Abused
msedge.exeWEB BROWSER

msedge.exe - Microsoft Edge Browser Security Analysis

msedge.exe is **Microsoft Edge**, the default Chromium-based browser on Windows 10/11. As the successor to Internet Explorer, Edge inherits the same trusted status while sharing Chromium's attack surface. Attackers target Edge for **credential theft**, abuse its **remote debugging capabilities**, and exploit its **IE Mode** feature for legacy attacks.

Risk Summary

MEDIUM priority for SOC triage. msedge.exe shares Chrome's attack surface including debug port exploitation. Monitor for --remote-debugging-port usage, unusual child processes, IE Mode activation, and profile data access. Edge's system integration makes it a valuable target.

Overview

What is msedge.exe?

msedge.exe is Microsoft Edge, the default browser on modern Windows systems.

Evolution

  • Legacy Edge: EdgeHTML engine (2015-2020)
  • Modern Edge: Chromium-based (2020+)
  • IE Mode: Runs IE content within Edge

Core Functions

Web Browsing:

  • Chromium rendering engine
  • Integrated with Windows
  • Microsoft account sync
  • PDF viewer, Collections, etc.

Enterprise Features:

  • IE Mode for legacy sites
  • Group Policy support
  • Azure AD integration

Security Significance

  • Default Browser: Pre-installed on Windows
  • Chromium Security: Shares Chrome vulnerabilities
  • IE Mode Risk: Enables legacy attack vectors
  • System Integration: Deep Windows integration

Normal Behavior

Normal Behavior

Expected Process State

PropertyExpected Value
PathC:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe
Parentexplorer.exe (user launch)
InstancesMany (multi-process)
UserLogged-in user
NetworkHTTP/HTTPS traffic

Multi-Process Architecture

msedge.exe (browser process)
├── msedge.exe --type=gpu-process
├── msedge.exe --type=renderer
├── msedge.exe --type=utility
└── msedge.exe --type=crashpad-handler

Profile Location

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\
├── Login Data (encrypted passwords)
├── Cookies
├── History
└── Web Data

IE Mode Indicator

msedge.exe --ie-mode-...

Common Locations

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exeC:\Program Files\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe

Suspicious Indicators

Legitimate vs Suspicious

LEGITIMATE

Path:        C:\Program Files*\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe
Parent:      explorer.exe, msedge.exe
User:        Logged-in user
Command:     --type=renderer, --type=gpu-process

SUSPICIOUS

Path:        C:\Users\Public\msedge.exe
             C:\Temp\msedge.exe
Parent:      cmd.exe, powershell.exe
Command:     --remote-debugging-port=9222
             --headless --disable-gpu
Children:    cmd.exe, powershell.exe

Dangerous Flags

FlagRiskDescription
--remote-debugging-portCRITICALCookie theft vector
--headlessHIGHInvisible operation
--ie-mode-testMEDIUMForces IE Mode
--no-sandboxCRITICALDisables protection

Abuse Techniques

Attack Techniques

Technique #1: Debug Port Exploitation (T1539)

Cookie/Session Theft:

msedge.exe --remote-debugging-port=9222
# Connect via DevTools Protocol
# Extract cookies and session data

Technique #2: Credential Theft (T1555.003)

Targeting Login Data:

$loginData = "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Login Data"
# Uses same encryption as Chrome (DPAPI)

Technique #3: IE Mode Abuse (T1218)

Forcing Legacy Mode:

msedge.exe --ie-mode-test "http://malicious-site.com"

Enables legacy IE vulnerabilities within Edge context.

Technique #4: Process Masquerading (T1036.005)

Malware named msedge.exe in non-standard locations.

Detection Guidance

Detection Strategies

Priority #1: Debug Port Detection

Process = "msedge.exe" AND
CommandLine CONTAINS "--remote-debugging-port"
→ ALERT: CRITICAL

PowerShell Check:

Get-WmiObject Win32_Process -Filter "Name='msedge.exe'" | Where-Object {
    $_.CommandLine -like "*--remote-debugging-port*"
} | Select-Object ProcessId, CommandLine

Priority #2: Unusual Child Processes

ParentProcess = "msedge.exe" AND
ChildProcess IN ["cmd.exe", "powershell.exe"]
→ ALERT: HIGH

Priority #3: IE Mode Monitoring

Process = "msedge.exe" AND
CommandLine CONTAINS "--ie-mode"
→ LOG: Track IE Mode usage

Priority #4: Path Verification

Process = "msedge.exe" AND
Path NOT CONTAINS "Microsoft\Edge\Application"
→ ALERT: CRITICAL

Remediation Steps

Protection and Remediation

Defense: Disable Debug Port

Group Policy:

Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
RemoteDebuggingAllowed = 0

Defense: Control IE Mode

Restrict IE Mode sites:

Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
InternetExplorerIntegrationLevel = 0

Defense: Extension Policy

Whitelist approved extensions only.

If Compromise Suspected

  1. Check for debug port usage
  2. Review IE Mode activity
  3. Audit profile data access
  4. Change stored passwords
  5. Review installed extensions
  6. Check for unauthorized automation

Investigation Checklist

Investigation Checklist

  • Verify msedge.exe path is legitimate
  • Check for debug port flags
  • Review IE Mode usage
  • Examine child processes
  • Audit profile data access
  • Review network connections
  • Check installed extensions
  • Validate file signature

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques

T1539T1555.003T1218T1036.005

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Last verified: January 18, 2026