NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The new versions of Windows operating system and the Internet Explorer Web browser from Microsoft will put a new emphasis on security for Web users, according to a published report.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn, will introduce a feature known as "Info-cards," that let computer users have more control over disclosure of information about themselves to businesses or others online. The paper also said that Internet Explorer 7 will provide more alerts to users about attempts to steal personal information over the Internet.

"The way you earn customer trust is to put control of information in customers' hands," Peter Cullen, Microsoft's chief privacy strategist, told the paper. "It's more than just protecting information, it's providing them with the tools to make their own choices."

Microsoft (Research) executives wouldn't provide detailed product plans. But people familiar with the strategy say it is a significant increase in attention to security by Microsoft, which in the past has been criticized by computer security experts.

The paper said one goal of the Info-cards is to reduce the need for Web sites to hold on to the sorts of personal information that they often store today. Info-cards also reportedly would alert computer users that they are connected to bogus sites designed to steal information for improper use, a scam known as "phishing."

For more on computer security news, click here.