Safer browsing with Internet Explorer
Both the German and the French authorities recently warned against using Internet Explorer because of potential security leaks. Still, you can safely use IE if you apply the correct settings. What exactly should you pay attention to?
Should you still use IE?
The German (http://goo.gl/J6J3) and French (http://goo.gl/vwEW) authorities recently issued a warning for a security leak in Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8, and they even went so far as to advise using another browser. It needn’t come to that, though, since the leak is small and Microsoft has in the meantime fixed it by means of a patch (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=179104). Still, it takes only a couple of basic steps and settings to allow you to surf safely in Internet Explorer at all times.
Upgrade
Internet Explorer 8 (http://www.microsoft.com/ie) is equipped with many new functions aimed at safer surfing, such as the SmartScreen filter (protection against malware), protection against scripting attacks, and Domain Highlighting (to recognise the real identity of a site more easily). We recommend you upgrade if you’re still using an older version! Also install all the patches via Windows Update(in the Control Panel).
Data Execution Prevention
Data Execution Prevention or DEP is a big concept which prevents (malicious) program code from being executed in your browser without your permission. Internet Explorer 8 is equipped with DEP (in Vista and Windows 7), but you should check that this function is enabled. Go to Tools; Internet Options;Advanced and place a checkmark next to Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks. Moreover, when visiting websites you don’t trust, you can temporarily activate safe navigation, during which no information will be saved: click on Security and select InPrivate Navigation.
Tip.A less drastic option is InPrivate Filtering, which prevents certain sites from collecting information about your surfing behaviour - a technique used especially by advertising networks.
Standard account
To prevent your employees or children from installing anything on your computer, give them a Windows standard account instead of an Administrator account. You can configure this via User Accounts in the Control Panel. An extra benefit of such an account is that “standard” users can’t modify or disable the security settings in Internet Explorer!
Security level
By default, the Security Level in Internet Explorer 8 is set to Normal-High, which notifies users of possibly unsafe content. Via Tools; Internet Options; Security you can change this to High, for even safer surfing.
Tip. Do you think this protection is a bit too strong? Choose High but allow certain elements via Custom Level, such as safe ActiveX components or file downloading. Also make sure that the Enable Protected Mode option is checked!
Passwords and forms
If your Internet Explorer is used by other persons using the same Windows username, make sure that forms and passwords aren’t automatically saved and completed. You can set this in Tools; Internet Options; Content; AutoComplete; Settings. Remove all the checkmarks and click on Clear AutoComplete History.
Create your profile to unlock this advice and many more.