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cookies on your
system. These are stored until you close all Internet
Explorer windows, as a result there’s no great need to
Unpick this setting.
Now select the
Content tab of Internet Options. The main thing
to be concerned with here is AutoComplete (Click on
the same named button).
While AutoComplete
can be a great time saver it also represents a fairly big
privacy concern, should someone be able to logon as you,
what with it capable of storing usernames, passwords and
various other details for various websites.
As such I’d strongly
recommend Unpicking Forms (This stores
information such as phrases used in search engines), User
names and passwords on forms (This stores information
such as your username and password, e.g. for logging into
our
forums) and
Prompt me to save passwords. After be sure to click the
Clear Forms and Clear Passwords buttons, then
select Ok. This may make your browsing a bit less
convenient, though obviously reduces access to personal
information/passwords should your system be
accessed/compromised by anyone.
Now select the
Advanced tab of Internet Options. Several options to
review here being:
Use Passive FTP
(for firewall and DSL modem compatibility).
Tick this setting to enable passive FTP mode. This
mode is more secure as your IP address is not requested,
though you may have to disable this feature to connect to
some FTPs.
Check for
publisher’s certificate revocation.
When Ticked Internet Explorer will check a Software
Publisher's Certificate to see if it has been revoked before
accepting it as valid, e.g. in the image below a program I
have downloaded, selecting Open when prompted how to
save the file, it will not work if you select Save.
In this case no Certificate has been found and it will not
install/execute without authorisation.
It is highly
recommended to have this enabled.
Check for server
certificate revocation.
Ticking this setting will enable Internet Explorer to
check if a websites certificate has been revoked before
accepting it as valid. As before, this is useful for
security purposes.
Check for
signatures on downloaded programs.
When Ticked Internet Explorer verifies the identity
of any programs that you have downloaded and you will be
prompted with such information.
Do not save
encrypted page to disk. When
Ticked secured webpages (https://) are not saved in
your Temporary Internet Files folder. This is strongly
recommended so as to eliminate the possibility of others
gaining access to important details, e.g. credit card
numbers, etc., by checking that folder.
The next 3 settings (Use
SSL 2.0, Use SSL 3.0 and Use TLS 1.0) are
in relation to the security protocols used on secure
webpages, e.g. most websites use SSL for carrying out secure
transactions, such as when you are entering your credit card
number into an online order form. Personally I’d recommend
Ticking all 3 of these (Use SSL 2.0, Use
SSL 3.0 and Use TLS 1.0). If you have problems on
some secured websites then trying Unpicking all but
Use SSL 2.0 (As all secure websites must support
this).
Warn about invalid
site certificates. When
Ticked Internet Explorer will display a warning message
if the website address in the site’s security certificate is
invalid.
Warn about
changing between secure and not secure mode.
When this setting is Ticked a warning message is
displayed when changing from a secure to unsecure internet
connection. This is probably of most use when
shopping/purchasing goods online and you want to ensure that
you are on a secure webpage when giving Credit card details
and so on.
Warn if forms
submittal is being redirected.
Ticking this setting to enables a warning message to
be displayed whenever webpage forms are submitted to a
location other than the website it is located on. Should it
to be an external site you’ll be prompted as to whether or
not to continue form submittal.
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