Protected Mode

[Desertfox]

Have W 7, and IE 8, all updated with the latest MS patches.

I wonder about "Protected Mode" in Internet Options > Security. The Security for Internet is set to Medium High AND the box for Protected Mode enabled is checked. Despite this fact. on this website it says below: Unknown Zone | Protected Mode: Off. On others it may say: Internet | Protected Mode: Off. Is there an explanation for this? The mode is enabled!
Is there possibly another setting somewhere else?

Did not have any issues so far. Have Kaspersky AV, W 7 firewall on, Spywareblaster active, and regularly check with Spybot.

[HAN]

Do you just have the Admin account on Win 7? Seems like I remember that the Admin account can't activate the Protected Mode. I know on a Vista PC @ work, IE 8 can run Protected on a 2nd user account but not the Admin account...

[Desertfox]

This is weird!! Admin. account cannot run IE 8 in Protected Mode. Really weird. Does anyoine know the reason? I am the only user on my XP desktop PC and the W 7 laptop. I have good reasons to do so.

So, given the circumstances, are both PCs less protected because of this weird condition?

[Desertfox]

Just found what it is with Protected Mode. Han is almost right. The reason is, if the UAC is disabled IE 8 puts the Protected Mode always into OFF. So I changed the UAC to next level and it sets Protected Mode to ON.

Still, I find it weird! Does MS want you to punish for setting UAC to off? It is certainly not right. Some UAC features even with W 7 can be annoying.

[Train]

Another reason use a alternate browser.

[HAN]

Good catch on UAC! I had read that somewhere but had forgotten about it.

There is a minor bit of relief for UAC. You might look into Tune UAC http://www.codeplex.com/tuneuac