Active X

[TJolly]

Hi

When visint some websites I receive the following pop-up window:

'Your current security settings prohibit Active X controls on this page. As a result the page may not display correctly.'

When I click OK the page is displayed and appears correct to me.

Can anyone explain what all this means please?

Thanks.

[Welshjim]

TJolly--First of all, here is a description of ActiveX controls
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/ActiveX_control.html
Basically that message is telling you that you have set your IE Tools|Internet Options|Security tab|Custom Level settings either to Disable or to require a Prompt before ActiveX controls can run from the web site you are visiting. (If the setting is Prompt, you will get another message before the one you mention asking if you want to run ActiveX controls.)
If the site can download an ActiveX control to your PC, then the site will be able to pass more information to your PC and possibly manipulate it. Sometimes the manipulation is good, sometimes not. There are lots of spyware Browser Helper Objects (one form of ActiveX controls) which are usually not to your advantage.
So, if you can see the site after clicking off that message, you probably are not missing anything good.
However, some sites will not run properly without ActiveX controls being permitted. I think the Windows Update site is one.

[TJolly]

Hi Welshjim

Thanks for the reply and link to explanation.

I've just my security settings and they were set to custom for some reason. I have now set them to the default settings of medium.

Thanks again.

[Welshjim]

TJolly--thanks for posting back. Glad to hear my suggestion was helpful.
There is nothing wrong with the setting you now have, but my first message may not have been clear about Custom Level settings. The message you were getting probably only meant that you had a higher level of Security settings than Default. That is sometimes quite prudent. The only downsides to that are:
1) You will get that message at many sites, which message can easily be clicked off
2) Some sites will not work (like Windows Update). But if you want to access such a site regularly, put it into Trusted Sites, and you will be able to enter it without problems and, at the same time, enjoy the higher level of security at the majority of sites to which you casually surf. However, you will get that message at the latter sites.
Security is a tradeoff. You have to decide how big a nuisance that message is.
Here is a short tutorial
http://www.windows-help.net/features/surf-safe.html
And for more detail
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/security/default.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/zone_ovr.asp

[TJolly]

Thanks Welshjim

Much appreciated.

[Welshjim]

TJolly--You are most welcome!!;)

[markp62]

TJolly, did you install the IEspyads file? If so, your ActiveX message came from one of those sites inserted into the Restricted Sites Zone of IE, and the Restricted Zone is stopping the ActiveX from being accessed. This is normal and is a good thing.
The bottom right corner of IE may say Mixed or Restricted, rather than Internet at the sites where this happens.

[TJolly]

Markp62

To my knowledge I have not installed IEspyads, what is this file?

[markp62]

Spyware/Hijacked (http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/index.html)
It is a Reg file, a list of site names and IP addresses. It simply Merges this list into the registry, straight in the Restricted Zone. The above link has a good explanation, and it is available there.
These sites are known to be spyware, adware, hijackers, malicious dialers, and malicious BHO's [Browser Helper Objects]. It is real good for prevention of any of the above from drive by installing and appearing on your computer. If you have kids who like to click Yes to everything, such as Bonzi Buddy, 3rd party IE address bars which comes bundled with spyware, this can be real helpful. The option to click Yes will not occur, as most need to access ActiveX to do their thing. It will also prevent these sites from accessing Java.
If you have IE6 installed, the file will works real well with it's cookie blocking.
But, you have to disable everything in the Restricted Zone for this to work. This will not affect normal surfing, as every other site not in the Restricted will run in the Internet Zone.

[TJolly]

Markp62

Thanks for your help.

[markp62]

You're welcome.