Your computer and your personal information can be breached in various subtle ways when you use the Internet. Depending on the World Wide Web sites you visit and the tasks you perform on the Internet, you may encounter and run—sometimes even unknowingly—a virus or other program that can harm your system or release private information to others. Luckily, Microsoft® Internet Explorer version 5.0 and 5.5 includes some refined features that can help you protect your system and data. Click the links below to learn more.

• Viruses
• Cookies
• Privacy
• ActiveX, Java, and certificates

Viruses

To protect yourself from viruses on the Internet, don't download files from sources that you don't know are safe. Viruses usually are hidden in programs and activated when the programs run. They also can be attached to certain other types of executable files such as special-action Web files and video files.

Heed the warning

Generally, when you're about to download a type of file that could contain a virus, your browser will display a warning and ask whether you want to open the file or save it to disk. If you're confident that the file comes from a trustworthy source, you may want to open it. If you're not sure, you may want to cancel your download.

Check the certificate

One way to verify the identity of a site is to check whether it has a Web site certificate naming the site's originator. With Microsoft^® Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5, you can check a Web page's certificate by right-clicking on the page, clicking Properties, and then clicking Certificates.

Use an antivirus program

There are many antivirus programs that can scan your computer for viruses, inoculate against known viruses, and maybe even repair damage caused by a virus. To get the benefit of such a program, make sure you run it as recommended. You may be able to schedule it to automatically scan your computer on a regular basis and get updates to the program, which include information about new viruses.

Sites to visit

• Microsoft Office Update – search the site for the word virus to call up articles on virus issues with Office products and ways to deal with them
• McAfee Total Virus Defense – information on McAfee antivirus software
• Symantec – more information on antivirus software

Cookies

A cookie is a small amount of information stored on your computer by a Web site—information that your Web browser sends back to the site whenever you visit it again. Usually the cookie is designed to remind the site of information about you—such as your password for the site or the customized background color you chose so that your browsing is simplified.

They're usually harmless

Cookies are common and usually harmless. They can't be used to take information about you or your computer that you have not provided. But they can be used by certain services to create a profile of your interests based on the sites you visit. Then advertisements on participating sites can be customized for you.

Controlling cookies

With Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5, you can choose to be alerted whenever a server tries to give you a cookie:

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options and then click the Advanced tab.
2. Scroll to Security.
3. Under Cookies, select Prompt before accepting cookies and click OK.
4. When alerted, you can refuse a cookie.

You can choose to prohibit all cookies up front:

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options and then click the Advanced tab.
2. Scroll to Security.
3. Under Cookies, select Disable all cookie use and click OK.

To delete cookies from your system, using Microsoft Windows® Explorer, go to c:\windows\cookies and delete any files there.

Sites to visit

• Internet Explorer Security Area – for the latest browser security updates
• Download Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5
• Microsoft Security Advisor – security issues for Microsoft products
• World Wide Web Consortium Security Resources
• World Wide Web Security FAQ
• Electronic Privacy Information Center
• Electronic Frontier Foundation

Privacy

Any Web site you visit can tell who and where your Internet service provider is, what site you were last at, what Web browser software you're using, and what you do while you're at the site. By asking you to register, a site can collect additional information from you, such as your name, e-mail address, postal address, income level, and interests. It's up to you whether to provide this.

Are you listed?

If you're listed in the white pages of the telephone book, your name, address, and telephone number are probably in databases on the World Wide Web, available for others to search. For example, try looking yourself up in Yahoo! People Search or the InfoSpace directory. You may be able to find out if your name appears elsewhere by searching for your name using a search engine.

Take care with e-mail

Theoretically, the postmasters and system administrators who relay electronic-mail messages could read your e-mail if they wanted to. But so many e-mail messages are sent each day that it's unlikely any particular message would be read. Still, you should know that employers have the right to monitor e-mail you send using their computers, law enforcement authorities can monitor your e-mail under certain circumstances, and courts can require you to produce e-mail that relates to a court case. So it's a good idea not to say anything in e-mail that you wouldn't want to have to say in public.

Newsgroups aren't private

Messages you post to Usenet newsgroups are available to anyone on the Internet, and they are archived and can be searched, so don't think of them as private. Also, spam e?mailers—those who send mass e-mail messages—sometimes pick up e-mail addresses from newsgroups.

Sites to visit

• Internet Explorer Security Area – for the latest browser security updates
• Download Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5
• Microsoft Security Advisor – security issues for Microsoft products
• World Wide Web Consortium Security Resources
• World Wide Web Security FAQ
• Electronic Privacy Information Center
• Electronic Frontier Foundation

ActiveX, Java, and certificates

Even if you don't intentionally download software from a Web site, elements of a site may download, run on your computer, and pose a potential security risk such as by unleashing a virus onto your system.

ActiveX

ActiveX® technologies allow software to be distributed over the Internet. You'll encounter ActiveX in the form of ActiveX controls, usually graphic items such as scrolling marquees, on Web sites. Think of them as small programs within the site that run on your computer. An ActiveX control can be digitally signed by its creator. Then a certifying authority such as VeriSign can certify the signature.

A certificate is your assurance that the control was safe when it was designed and that it hasn't been tampered with since. You can set your Web browser software to enable, disable, or prompt you to decide what to do with ActiveX controls depending on whether they are labeled safe.

With Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5, you can automatically turn off ActiveX completely:

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options and then click the Security tab.
2. In the Zone drop-down list, select Internet Zone.
3. In the Internet Zone box, select High and then click OK.

To be prompted before any ActiveX control is downloaded and executed, in the Internet Zone box, select Medium.

To set individual aspects of ActiveX control security yourself:

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options and then click the Security tab.
2. In the Zone drop-down list, select Internet Zone.
3. In the Internet Zone box, select Custom and then click Settings.
4. Under ActiveX Controls and plugins, select the settings you want, click OK, and click OK again.

Java

Java is a computer language. Java-based mini-applications, or applets, can be downloaded from Web sites and run by Web browser software. Generally, these applets are limited in what they can do.

To disable Java with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5:

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options and then click the Security tab.
2. In the Zone drop-down list, select Internet Zone.
3. In the Internet Zone box, select Custom and then click Settings.
4. Scroll to Java, select Disable Java, click OK, and click OK again.

Certificates

Digital certificates, granted by certifying authorities, signify that a Web site or element of a Web site has been digitally signed by its creator. A certificate lets you know who is responsible for the site or element, and verifies that it is free from malicious components such as viruses and has not been tampered with since it was certified.

When your browser is presented with a certificate, it checks its list of certifying authorities. If it finds a match, it allows your activity to continue. If your browser software warns you that something is amiss about a certificate, your safest course is to cancel your activity.

Sites to visit

• Internet Explorer Security Area – for the latest browser security updates
• Download Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5
• Microsoft Security Advisor – security issues for Microsoft products
• VeriSign
• World Wide Web Consortium Security Resources
• World Wide Web Security FAQ
• Electronic Privacy Information Center
• Electronic Frontier Foundation