Disable ActiveX ?

Discussion in 'SpywareBlaster & Other Forum' started by Osmosis, Oct 11, 2003.

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  1. Osmosis

    Osmosis Registered Member

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    Lake Elsinore
    I'm sure this has been asked before but I couldn't find it and it's been on my mind for sometime.

    Does it make ANY sense at all to manually disable ALL options under "ActiveX Controls & Plug-ins" in IE6 Internet options if I'm also running SpywareBlaster?

    My concern is if the spywareblaster database maynot have a new activeX threat or I'm late updating.

    Any thoughts, please...well clear my mind!

    Osmosis

    P.S.

    Disabling "Active Scripting" is another issue, correct?
     
    Osmosis, Oct 11, 2003
    #1
  2. LowWaterMark

    LowWaterMark Administrator

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    Hi Osmosis,

    That's a good question. Personally, I have my ActiveX security set pretty tight for the Internet Zone in IE6. See the image below for my settings. A lot of people don't like to have all the prompts from IE that I get with these settings. Also, as for disabling them across the board, well, a lot of websites won't function or look right if you do disable it all - everywhere.

    See what I wrote in reply #5 in the thread below for more about the "web experience" impacts of tight security versus the value of SpywareBlaster...

    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=14780;start=msg92966#msg92966

    You'll really need to balance your wish for "prompt-free" web browsing against the possibility that either you'll allow a bad ActiveX item (if enabled) or have a lot of blank (non-functional) webpages if ActiveX is always 100% disabled. SpywareBlaster gives you more options in that it blocks the majority of the known bad ActiveX controls. But, nothing is 100%.

    For myself, I decided to use the approach of fully implementing the zones of security in IE6. Tight settings in the default (Internet) zone, including the prompts for ActiveX shown below; loose settings in the Trusted Zone where I put all the sites that I've decided to trust so that scripting and ActiveX will work for those sites. To this I've added one other tool, IE-SpyAd which populates the IE Restricted Zone with a huge list of known bad sites. (The restricted zone has the absolute tightest security.)

    By adding SpywareBlaster to my IE protection scheme, I'm protected if some spyware elements end up on one of my trusted sites. (Heck, some online entertainment sites use mild forms of ActiveX based spyware that SB protects against, so that's a big plus because you need to allow ActiveX on some of those sites to make full use of them.)

    Yes, that is also comething to consider. I have scripting disabled in the Internet Zone and enabled in the Trusted Zone, so the same protection scheme idea from above applies. But, SpywareBlaster does nothing in regards to scripting, so that's a topic for a different thread. ;)

    I hope this helps,
    LowWaterMark
     

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    LowWaterMark, Oct 11, 2003
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  3. Osmosis

    Osmosis Registered Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Lake Elsinore
    Thanks for the great response LWM and the reply#5 to Paul wasn't bad either...you have given both of us, and everyone else, something to think about. It's all about BALANCE!

    I'm also, like you, using the zone method of tightening my security but don't want to over do it...over kill comes to mind.

    Let's not forget that surfing the internet is suppose to be enjoyable and yet do to the miscreants efforts they are taking that away from all of us. That sucks!!!

    I think I'm gonna drop back a yard or two and stick with SpywareBlaster, it's being updated pretty regularly, and let it do it's thing. I will keep my Internet zone at MEDIUM, there is some protection at this level, and I'll be able to surf without all the prompts and SB will catch/stop most of the crap that's out there. Besides I don't go to places where it's that hazardous anyway.

    LWM...if you have any closing thoughts, suggestions and or other tips/tricks I'm sure we all would benefit hearing them; feel free to share some more of your wisdom!

    Thanks....Big Time!
     
    Osmosis, Oct 11, 2003
    #3
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