Stay safe online with Internet Explorer 7

If you don’t already have Internet Explorer 7 and wish to install it (or upgrade from an earlier version) then you can download it from our own website, at www.computeractive.co.uk/2128558. One of the most visible improvements in Internet Explorer 7 is the Phishing Filter option. This checks visited websites against a database of known malicious or fake sites, and is updated on an hourly basis to include all the latest threats. Internet Explorer 7 advises switching on the filter when it is first launched, but its status can be checked by by clicking Tools, selecting Phishing Filter and choosing ‘Turn On Automatic Website Checking’.

The filter works silently in the background, checking each page visited against its database. If a website that is known to be malicious is visited – either by typing the address into Internet Explorer’s Address bar or clicking a link in an email that opens in Internet Explorer – then this message window will appear and the Address bar will turn red. To protect yourself, click the ‘Click here to close this web page’ link to prevent the website loading. In the unlikely event you know the site is genuine, click ‘Report that this is not a phishing website’ and follow the instructions.

It can take some time for sites to appear on the database, so don’t assume the lack of a warning means the site is genuine. If the Address bar turns amber, or the site address doesn’t look familiar, be very cautious. Click Tools and select Phishing Filter followed by Report This Website. Check the language is correct, tick ‘I think this is a phishing website’ and click Next. Type the verification code as requested and click Continue. Avoid using the site for at least 24 hours to give Microsoft a chance to update its filter.

When shopping online, use Internet Explorer’s tools to keep safe. If the Address bar turns green, it means the site in question has a special EV (extended validation) certificate that confirms it’s the genuine article and that the site is protected by strong security. Not all sites turn the Address bar green, so when buying goods, make sure the site address begins with the ‘https’ prefix (indicating a secure connection) and click the padlock icon to find out more about the site’s security, including details of the certificate issued to it.

Internet Explorer 7 does a good job of stopping pop-up windows from invading the screen. By default, the custom level should be adequate for most people – when a site attempts to show a pop-up window, it’s blocked and the yellow Information Bar appears below the Address bar to highlight the fact. If you trust the site and want to see the pop-ups (some sites won’t function correctly without them), click the Information Bar to allow pop-ups from the site temporarily – this means until you browse away from the site – or permanently.

Sites allowed to open pop-up windows permanently are added to a special ‘allowed’ list. To remove a site from this list – and therefore block pop-ups from that site – click the Tools button and choose Pop-up Blocker followed by Pop-up Blocker Settings. Select the unwanted site from the list and click Remove. To make Pop-up Blocker less (or more) zealous about blocking pop-ups, click the Filter level dropdown menu and pick a different setting from the default (Custom). High will block all pop-ups except those in the Allowed list, while Medium or Low will let more through.

When using a web browser, you leave behind a trail that can compromise privacy. Internet Explorer 7 now makes it easy to wipe all traces with a few clicks. Click the Tools button and select ‘Delete Browsing History…’. To remove all traces of your activities, click ‘Delete all…’, but remember this might make browsing harder (for example, by removing saved log-on details). Use the other buttons to be more selective about what you delete – a full explanation of each option is provided.

Cookies can be used to speed up logging into sites, but not all cookies are beneficial. Take more control over what cookies are allowed on your computer by clicking Tools, selecting Internet Options and switching to the Privacy tab. Move the cookie slider to Medium High or High. If a site you know and trust won’t function without cookies (Napster for example), click Sites, type the address of the site and click Allow followed by OK twice.

Internet Explorer can be expanded with the help of add-ons (also known as ActiveX Controls). Sadly, malicious add-ons exist, which can infiltrate your security by silently downloading viruses and other damaging software to your computer. If a site tries to download an add-on the Information Bar will block it, but will give you the option of installing it – make sure you trust the control before consenting to its installation. Windows XP users upgrading to Internet Explorer 7 will also find all existing add-ons are disabled by default. When visiting a website that requires a disabled add-on, re-enable it manually when prompted.

Other security settings can be found by clicking Tools, selecting Internet Options and switching to the Security tab. The default setting – Medium High – should be fine for most people, but if you’re concerned, set it to High for more protection. Note that the lowest setting for the security slider is now Medium, but we don’t recommend lowering it to this level. If sites won’t work correctly at your chosen setting, read on; otherwise jump to Step 12.

Click the Trusted sites icon and you can allow trusted sites to bypass the security restrictions if they refuse to work properly. Set a lower security setting for sites in this zone using the slider, but we strongly urge you set the slider no lower than Medium. Instead, boycott sites that won’t work even with these reduced security settings. Click the Sites button, type the web address and click Add to add the site in question – by default only secure websites that begin https:// can be added, so if need be untick ‘Require server verification…’.

The previous version of Internet Explorer was so insecure that it was possible for a PC to get infected with a virus or other malicious software simply by visiting apparently safe sites that had been hacked. Internet Explorer 7 closes these security holes, so hacked sites are unable to exploit your computer so easily. You’ll also be alerted if you make changes to Internet Explorer’s settings that could compromise your security – click the Information Bar and select ‘Security Settings at Risk’ followed by ‘Fix Settings for Me’ to close the holes automatically.

The Windows Vista version of Internet Explorer 7 has two additional features not found in the Windows XP version. The first is a special ‘Protected mode’ in which the program runs by default (you’ll be alerted if it’s not) – this prevents programs from having free access to sensitive areas of your computer, reducing the potential damage caused by virus and spyware infections. This includes preventing websites from installing programs or attempting to run programs already on your computer – Internet Explorer will block the attempt with a warning, enabling you to decide whether the website in question is trustworthy.

Windows Vista also includes Parental Controls that can be used to place limits on the amount of time children spend on the internet, along with what websites they can view. To access these controls from within Internet Explorer click the Tools button and select Internet Options. Switch to the Content tab and click the Parental Controls button to get started – each child should have their own user account on the computer, and select ‘Windows Vista Web Filter’ followed by ‘Time limits’ to control their internet access.