Browsers are particularly troublesome
programs from a security perspective because, if you let them, they
allow people on the outside to run programs inside your computer. All
the things that make browsers so much fun—like playing Missile Command
on www.atari.com/arcade, which uses Java, or running movies on a streaming media player—can be a backdoor into Windows 8.
All browsers have security settings built into
them. Although there are arguments as to which browser is the most
secure, all are actively updated against threats. Internet Explorer 10
is used as the example here because that’s the browser that ships with
Windows 8. IE10’s Safety menu is your access to managing its security
features .
Internet Explorer 10’s Safety menu
The Delete Browsing History command deletes
downloaded content, cookies, temporary files, browsing history, download
history, form data, passwords, ActiveX filtering, and tracking
protection data; this can be a good reset, making it harder for
outsiders to compromise your system. With InPrivate Browsing (new in
Windows 8) turned on, all stored data in a browsing session is deleted
when you close your browser. ActiveX Filtering prevents ActiveX programs
from executing on a site. All of these features can make your session
safer, but they limit what IE10 is capable of.
Most of the settings for security and privacy in Internet Explorer 10 are contained in the Internet Options dialog box ,
particularly on the Security and Privacy tabs. The default settings on
those tabs are adequate for most purposes, but you can customize them
for special purposes.
The Security tab of the Internet Options dialog box
To view Internet Explorer 10’s Safety menu
Tap or click the Safety menu found on the IE10 command bar .
To open Internet Explorer 10’s Security settings
1. Tap or click the Tools menu on the IE10 command bar, and select the Internet Options command.
2. Tap or click the Security tab to view the security settings .
Tip
When entering sensitive information
into a browser, always look to see that the protocol is HTTPS and that
the address bar has a lock icon on the left.
