| Tutorials What are the proper Internet Explorer settings for ActiveX controls to help prevent Spyware infection?
ActiveX controls are small programs that serve many useful functions. Some websites send these to your computer to perform certain tasks that enhance your internet experience. Unfortunately, spyware developers can use ActiveX controls to harm your computer.
In order to help protect you from bad ActiveX controls, each control has an electronic “signature.” This signature is a code that tells your computer that an ActiveX control is being sent from a trusted source. Internet Explorer lets you choose how it should handle ActiveX controls based on their signatures. To set your ActiveX preferences in Internet Explorer, do the following:
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Click “Tools” on the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Click “Internet Options…” at the bottom of the “Tools” menu. The “Internet Options” window appears.
- Click the “Security” tab at the top of the “Internet Options” window.
- Click the “Internet” icon at the top of the window. The icons at the top represent categories of sites for which you may set security.
- Click the “Custom Level…” button at the bottom right of the window. The “Security Settings” window opens, and the ActiveX settings are right at the top.
The Security Settings window
7. Select the following options under the “ActiveX controls and plug-ins” list:
| Setting |
Safer |
Safest |
| Download signed ActiveX controls |
Prompt |
Disable |
| Download unsigned ActiveX controls |
Disable |
Disable |
| Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe |
Disable |
Disable |
| Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins |
Prompt |
Disable |
| Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting |
Prompt |
Disable |
8. Click the “OK” button at the bottom of the window. The “Security Settings” window closes.
9. Close and restart Internet Explorer to begin surfing using your new settings.
As with any security settings, tighter restrictions mean more limited functionality. After taking the above steps, visit your favorite websites to make sure that they still work normally.
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