Tweak
Central's Paranoid Internet explorer 5 user's page
updated: 09/13/00
01/03/00
Overview:
This
is the Tweak Central guide to How to tighten up Internet Explorer 5's
security settings to make browsing the web (arguably) more secure while
still allowing access to sites you trust.
Internet
Explorer 5 has some nifty features that allow users to surf the web in
a more secure way while letting the user determine which sites to grant
more access to.
First we'll cover restricting sites' access to your computer and information,
then we'll cover allowing certain sites more access to your computer.
By the way, these tweaks will, among other things, prevent web-sites from
popping open a million little windows with ads for you to look at... You're
welcome.
Let's get started!
To access any of ie5's (from now on, I'll refer to Internet Explorer 5
as ie5 or just ie) settings, simply click on Tools
| Internet Options... or Right-click (or select and press Alt-Enter)
the ie5 icon on your desktop or quick-launch bar.
There are all kinds of settings in here, but we're mainly going to concern
ourselves with the Security tab today.
In the security section, you'll be presented with the following screen:
click for larger image
Ie5 basically allows you to set up "zones" and control
security accordingly. You can set which sites belong to the local,
trusted and restricted zones and the internet zone handles everything
that doesn't fall into any of those categories.
So let's set up the internet zone to be a little "safer."
Hit the "custom level" button at the bottom.
Another screen will pop-up which will allow you to tinker with just
about all the settings available.
Here, I just go through and Disable everything
I find offensive (ha).
Seriously, have a look at my settings:
This way, you can disable ActiveX, Java, Scripting, all kinds of
fun things, that while they "enhance your experience"™
They can also open up some security holes - they can be abused by
some unscrupulous web sites.
"OK" your way out of the custom-level settings and now
you're ready to set up how you want to handle your trusted sites
(like Tweak Central! I wouldn't abuse your trust (evil smile)).
click for larger image
Changins security settings
for you Trusted sites zone:
Unfortunately,
many people who run web sites require lax security settings for their
web site to even function. These people adopt a "like it or lump
it" attitude.
If you would to allow some of the features you have disabled above, you
can add trusted sites to your trusted sites zone.
The instructions are identical to those above, except this time, we will
be modifying the settings inside the trusted sites zone.
Starting from scratch. Go to Tools | Internet Options...
Click the security tab and then
the Trusted sites button.
Modifying the settings: Click on the custom level
button at the bottom:
You will probably wanted to loosen up a bit here, perhaps allow trusted
ActiveX controls, Javascript, and probably most importantly, cookies.
Many (backwards ) e-commerce
sites require cookies, so this is a good way to let you get some shoppin'
done while protecting your anonymity somewhat on all other sites you browse. Adding sites you trust
to your Trusted sites zone:
If you've
chosen a two-zone approach, this is how you add sites to your trusted
(or any other) zone.
1. (starting from scratch) Go to Tools |
Internet Options... Click the security tab
and then
the Trusted sites button.
click for larger image
2. Next hit sites.
You'll be presented with the screen on the left.
3. You might want to uncheck the "Require server verification
(https...) box at the bottom: some sites you trust may not be
using https on all of their sites you want to allow access.
4. Simply type the name of the site you wish to add to your
trusted sites list, like this:
*.domain.com
5. Click Add.
The * is a wildard character so any servers on that domain will
also be "trusted". For example, if you entered *.cnn.com,
sites like www.support.cnn.com will also be trusted.
That way, you're saying that you trust all hosts on that domain, so if
they send you to another web-server within that site, you'll still want
to keep the trust settings.
Repeat the above steps (you only have to do step 3 once) whenever you
want to add a site to your trusted sites - I know, kinda tenious.
update 03/05/01: The restricted sites is just another zone for you to
use if you would like to further divide the sites you visit. You can in
fact add as many zones as you like. See my "Add
more zones" page for more information.
Add
more security zones to ie5
If you're interested in adding more security zones to ie5, visit
my how-to page.
information
Best tweak sites
Tweak
Central's Paranoid Internet explorer 5 user's page
This
is the Tweak Central guide to How to tighten up Internet Explorer 5's
security settings to make browsing the web (arguably) more secure while
still allowing access to sites you trust.
Internet
Explorer 5 has some nifty features that allow users to surf the web in
a more secure way while letting the user determine which sites to grant
more access to.
There are all kinds of settings in here, but we're mainly going to concern
ourselves with the Security tab today.
Unfortunately,
many people who run web sites require lax security settings for their
web site to even function. These people adopt a "like it or lump
it" attitude.
) e-commerce
sites require cookies, so this is a good way to let you get some shoppin'
done while protecting your anonymity somewhat on all other sites you browse.
update 03/05/01: The restricted sites is just another zone for you to
use if you would like to further divide the sites you visit. You can in
fact add as many zones as you like. See my "
Add
more security zones to ie5
