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Resolved AnyStream now soft-blocked by Microsoft Edge

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drambuie

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Just noticed that AnyStream is now soft-blocked by Microsoft Edge as "this application may harm your computer".

Easily bypassed, but feels a little ominous, especially given new cloud-based AI application security features in Windows 11 might use the same intelligence. They are optional, but one has to wonder what the future might hold.

To be clear, I don't believe that AnyStream is in any way a shady or risky application, but I am mildly concerned that mechanisms used to protect users from malicious apps might one day be abused to block fair use apps that corporations think users should not be installing.

The tricky part is anticipating whether we should attempt to have AnyStream removed from the soft-block list by reporting it as "safe", or simply not draw more attention to it.
 
Do you mean the warning from downloading it? That's actually not uncommon at all. Basically, any application that is not "common" will get tagged with that. I see it all the time.
 
drambuie said:
Just noticed that AnyStream is now soft-blocked by Microsoft Edge as "this application may harm your computer".

Easily bypassed, but feels a little ominous, especially given new cloud-based AI application security features in Windows 11 might use the same intelligence. They are optional, but one has to wonder what the future might hold.

To be clear, I don't believe that AnyStream is in any way a shady or risky application, but I am mildly concerned that mechanisms used to protect users from malicious apps might one day be abused to block fair use apps that corporations think users should not be installing.

The tricky part is anticipating whether we should attempt to have AnyStream removed from the soft-block list by reporting it as "safe", or simply not draw more attention to it.
Click to expand...
Just tell Microsoft that the file that you downloaded is safe, and continue to use the program.
 
Use a different browser if you don't like Edge.:) I don't think MS would take kindly to a phone call from me.:D
 
This is common now for any third party application that doesn't choose to pay through the nose for the latest type of Code Certificate. The std code certificate (which any commercial Windows Application or Office Add-in developer uses) is now no longer sufficient, and unless you use the "EV Code Certificate", an app can trigger this warning when downloaded or installed on Windows 10/11. Much like older hardware drivers started causing spurious warnings from Windows 8 on...

And of course, this type of certificate costs 2 - 3 times what the normal type does. The difference? they go through more extensive business identification checks - thats all. Then again, code certificates were never about "protection" - all they do is guarantee that you know the *name* of the company/person that did it, and that no one has altered the code since it was signed :sneaky:

Since MS controls the operating system, they can influence how people perceive the applications they try to install, particularly anything not coming from their Store... So they started adding a layer of warnings on apps that didn't have the new type of certificate attached (which is most of them) so that any software business either had to deal with customer complaints, or just suck it up and pay the extra dosh...

Be smart. if you have been using AnyStream (and any of the RedFox applications, downloaded ONLY from this site), nothing has changed. Microsoft is just trying to make you *think* it has...
 
I get where you're coming from. These soft-block messages can be a bit unsettling, especially when they're for applications we trust. It's essential to strike a balance between user security and avoiding overreach by corporations. Reporting it as "safe" might help, but it's a tough call. If you want to know how to deal with such situations, get a course on security operations analyst associate. I hope that helps!
 
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