In November 2005, Microsoft expanded the information behind Internet Explorer’s Phishing Filter by adding three phishing-data providers: Cyota, Internet Identity, and MarkMonitor. The filter, then available as an MSN Toolbar add-in, combined information about known phishing sites with checks for suspicious characteristics on sites not already listed. Microsoft said it planned to build the feature into the next version of Internet Explorer.
What Microsoft announced
BetaNews reported on November 17, 2005, that Microsoft had signed Cyota, Internet Identity, and MarkMonitor to provide information about confirmed phishing websites. Microsoft said the partners’ data would be merged into its URL reputation service, helping the filter identify sites reported as phishing threats. BetaNews’s November 2005 report also said Microsoft had released the final version of its anti-phishing Internet Explorer plug-in.
The Phishing Filter was distributed as an add-in for the MSN Toolbar. Microsoft intended to integrate it into the next version of Internet Explorer; the announcement described a plan, not a feature already built into every IE release.
How the Phishing Filter was described as working
Information about reported sites
The filter drew on Microsoft’s URL reputation service, which was to incorporate data from the three new providers. This information could help flag websites already identified as phishing sites.
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Checks on sites not already listed
According to the BetaNews report, the filter also examined sites absent from its known list, using heuristic techniques to look for suspicious characteristics. The report does not specify the precise signals, thresholds, or decision process, so those details should not be inferred from the announcement.
These were the reported capabilities of the 2005 filter, not a specification for today’s Microsoft security products.
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Why the announcement mattered
The report cited phishing-site figures attributed to the Anti-Phishing Working Group: 806 sites in August 2004 and 5,259 in August 2005. Those figures were reported by BetaNews in 2005; they describe that period and are not current measurements.
Microsoft’s John Scarrow, identified as manager of its Anti-Spam and Anti-Phishing Team, cautioned against treating the filter as a complete solution: “There is of course no silver bullet that can stop phishing, but we believe that the Microsoft Phishing Filter and SmartScreen Technology, when armed with continuously updated data from both great partners and our own users, can help make a significant difference,”
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How the 2005 feature differs from SmartScreen today
The historical IE plug-in should not be confused with current Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. Microsoft’s SmartScreen overview describes protection against sites reported for phishing or malware and against malicious files. Microsoft also documents Enhanced Phishing Protection, which includes warnings related to entering work or school passwords in Windows 11. These are modern protections, not evidence that the 2005 plug-in remains available or works the same way.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Internet Explorer and SmartScreen support now
Current behavior depends on the Windows version. Microsoft Support’s article, published November 4, 2025, says Defender SmartScreen is no longer active in Internet Explorer or IE Mode on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, and Windows Server 2025. It remains active in Microsoft Edge and Windows Shell on those releases, and continues to function in IE on older Windows versions. Microsoft also says Internet Explorer is deprecated and is not supported as a standalone browser on Windows 11. See Microsoft’s support article for the affected Windows releases and details.
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