Microsoft Corp has released Internet Explorer 7 (IE 7) for Windows XP, which comes with significant security enhancements, making everyday tasks easier.

Talking about IE 7, Dean Hachamovitch, general manager - Internet Explorer team, Microsoft, said, "We listened carefully to our customers, and are delivering a safer browser that makes the tasks they do every day much easier."

To tackle the changing nature of online security threats, IE 7 provides protection against malicious software and phishing attacks. It helps reduce exposure to these attacks by fortifying the browser itself, and providing the user with better information and assisting him/her in making more informed decisions.

IE 7 delivers a new look and enhanced capabilities such as tabbed browsing. With tabs, users are able to view multiple sites in a single browser window, and switch from one site to another. IE 7 also sports 'Quick Tabs' that provide an "at a glance" snapshot of all open tabs on a single screen, enabling easier and faster site selection and navigation.

According to Microsoft, financial institutions and security vendors such as PayPal and VeriSign are supporting the newest generation of the browser IE 7, and also encouraging their customers to upgrade to it. Microsoft also says that the new version is designed keeping in mind developers and IT managers, and that it has been engineered for compatibility with existing Web sites by adhering to some of the most important standards for Web site development.

IE 7 for Windows XP is available in English, and runs on Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows XP 64-bit Edition, and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1. And, it will be made available in other Windows-supported languages over the coming weeks.

Windows IE 7 is available for free download at http://www.microsoft.com/ie. Microsoft will begin distributing IE 7 as a high-priority update via automatic updates in November 2006.