Help with Hardening Internet Explorer

Hi, I’m considering hardening my IE. I already have these apps: Norton AV, Norton Internet Security (firewall), Trojan Hunter, UnHackMe, SpywareBlaster. I’m also considering Online Armor. I'm on Windows SP1 and won't go to SP2 until I have to (SP1 support being dropped).

Following is a list of some of freebies available to harden IE. Can some people tell me which ones I don’t need given the paid apps I’m using or considering? And also which of these freebies overlap each other? Also, have Windows Updates/patches rendered some of these obsolete?

- Bugoff – do the apps I have cover this already?
- HTASTOP – same question. Also, is the HTA script problem old hat now?
- SafeXP
- HardenIt – does my firewall cover the same things? Would Online Armor?
- WWDC (Windows Worms Door Cleaner) – same 2 questions as HardenIt
- Samurai

An additional consideration is I’m not exactly a PC guru. If some of these turn off services, or interfere with commonly used apps, and might cause problems I might not be able to figure out, please let me know. I know Bugoff interferes with some things (maybe Windows Update?).

Right now, for the sake of clarity, I’m leaning to the freebies that address simple issues and are not too complex. This sounds like Bugoff, WWDC, HardenIt. An example of something that sounds too complex: SecureIt. I mean it deals with too many things.

Finally, have I missed any good freebies? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

If you do not have IE Internet Zone set to High I would suggest you consider adding IE-Spyad or even if you do have IE to High....it's still a perfect compliment to IE for those times when you want to lower IE Interent Zone setting.

If you decide to attempt IE on High....take comfort in knowing you are secure from any publically known vulnerabilities given the fact most of the known vulnerabilities can not exploit IE if Active script is disabled.

As for BugOff....while it does offer nice selections....it definetly can interfere with Web page code in particular it's Microsoft XMLHTTP object selection which can affect the post edit button and other selections in Forums such as Wilders..

 

for specifically hardening IE, id use secure-it. the default options work fine for me. as for the other apps, theyre mostly for overall system/service tweaking. i use all of teh ones u mentioned except htastop and safexp.

 

Hi Guys,

Great suggestion Bubba, regarding IE-Spyad. Also from the same author, I think the ultimate IE toughening is "Enough is Enough" - Note some web sites will not work, until you, very easily place them in the "trusted zone." Enough is Enough adds a entry to IE "tools" for easy addition of sites to the trusted zone.

Take care
rico

 

Notok has a nice section on hardening at:

http://www.dyingsun.net/hardening.htm

 

hi, you can also use spybot, there's a section, in advanced, which lets you use something similar to spywareblaster - killbits, i think it should be OK to use it along with SB. Bubba will know.

you can disable third party cookies.

make sure you use the trusted zone.

i think it's important to install Sun Java. THIS IS IMPORTANT if you ever update Sun Java, make sure you uninstall the older version, from add/remove programs. if it's not uninstalled you are still vulnerable to its exploits
http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

here's a page which is abit old now, i've only ever read the first post, so there could be more to the thread then i know of.
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,1333507~root=security,1~mode=flat

i think one of the best security programs is Proxomitron. it's very complicated, however, it is possible to set it up then pretty much forget about it. even better - set up then learn about it at your own pace
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=66222