I'm still using Internet Explorer 6, with XP service pack 2 of course. It's
not that hard to prevent most ActiveX and BHO self-installs from even
touching you...also try 'The Cleaner' to get rid of BHO's easily (unforently
it's not freeware, but there is a shareware version). Also 'Hijack This' is
complete freeware, and extremly effective, but not too easy to use. If you
know what your doing it's great, if not, theres a forum out there that you
upload the log files it makes to, and the admins and other trusted helpers
try and help you find out what (if anything) is wrong.
As for blocking BHO's and ActiveX in IE 6, its in the 'Tools' menu, go to
the 'Internet Options...' menu. From there a screen will pop open. Select
the 'Advanced' tab, then scroll down. Theres a large list of things you can
do, but I'll try and get just the basics, out of respect for those who don't
find this helpfull.
Make sure these are unchecked in 'Browsing' Section:
'Enable Install on Demand(Internet Explorer)'
'Enable Install on Demand(Other)'
If you don't use any third party extensions...search bars, download programs
like Getright, ect, you can uncheck
'Enable third-party browser extensions(requires restart)'. This will kill
almost everything that uses your internet explorer abusivly, at the cost of
also killing everything that adds capabilities to it. I leave it on myself,
but then, I can remove most spyware myself...
Ok, the rest doesn't matter here too much, browse it if you want. The rest
of what you want is in the 'Security' Tab. Go over there, click on the
'Internet' option (the picture of the globe), then click on the 'Custom
Level...' button. Another window pops up.
Go down to 'Active X controls and plug-ins' Heres the settings I use for
each of the options. Because theres a few, I will be rather breif here.
Please just email me any questions on what options do what.
'Automatic promting for ActiveX controls': Disable
'Binary and script behaviors': Enable (Disable for tighter security)
'Download signed ActiveX controls': Prompt
'Download unsigned ActiveX controls': Disable
'Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe': Disable
'Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins': Enable (You can set this to prompt, but
you'll get alot of annoyances. Assuming you told it to install in the first
place, you shouldn't need to worry about it).
'Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting': Enable (Disable for
tighter security)
Thats all. Hit apply, ok, and then ok again. There are other options, and
this is by no means perfectly secure, but I leave my firewall on minimal, my
antivirus OFF, and I can go to most websites with no problems. It's when one
goes looking for porn and not completely legal third party 'patches' (read:
cracks) that one can still get in trouble. When I do that, I keep the
firewall on full, the anti-virus on, I turn on SpySweeper, and get ready to
say 'no' to alot of ActiveX questions...and I always say no.
If you need help removing or disabling some ActiveX control that got on your
computer, and you have XP service pack 2, just email me, I'll be glad to
tell you how to disable it. And don't worry, it's easier then doing this was
in the first place, you just have to know where to look. Out of respect for
original poster and the other members of the list, I ask poeple not to reply
to this email directly, please email me instead with comments or questions.
-Tethas (Email: Tethas_at_shaw.ca)
----- Original Message -----
From: "sean foltz" <cigarskunk_at_hotmail.com>
To: <SkunkworksAMA_at_yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2005 5:57 AM
Subject: [SkunkworksAMA] Viruses and worms
> >Dude, you got Spyware.
>>
>>Get AdAware's free version.>yours,>bosdadichi
>
> Obviously spam, but AdAware actually isn't half bad.
>
>>I wouldn't recommend AdAware, myself. Go to http://www.spybot.info
>>The program there is free and has no BS nonsense. Windows only.
>>
>>Also to protect yourself a little more, use any browser other than
>>Internet Explorer.
>>Go to http://www.mozilla.org and get Firefox. ActiveX's and BHO's don't
>>install
>>themselves through that browser.
>
> Spybot is quite nice as well - I also just picked up something called
> Esafe
> thanks to that new worm going around but I'm not sure how useful it is
> yet -
> any input?
>
> Firefox is definitely superior to Explorer as a browser, but I find I
> can't
> open up any links or pictures until the ENTIRE page has loaded - any
> suggestions?
>
>>I vote to end this string of offtopic posts, and to end further discussion
>>of this matter.
>
> With that new worm going around and so many options for free and paid
> cyber
> defences out there, I don't think it's a bad thing, especially since a
> good
> number of problems come from sites like yahoo groups.
>
> CS
Received on Sun May 08 2005 - 12:01:26 CDT