Security Zones

     Newer versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) incorporate security zones, which are actually classifications of the security level of web sites.  There are four zones that you may configure and they include the following:

• Internet Zone
• Local Intranet
• Trusted Sites
• Restricted

     There is also a fifth zone that you have no control over and that is the Local Computer zone.  You may use each of the other zones to put web sites and domains into classes that determine the actions that the computer is permitted to perform.  You can add sites to and remove sites from each of the four zones listed above and adjust the level of permitted activity, such as how cookies are handled or whether to accept active content.

     By default, all web sites are listed in the Internet zone until they are placed in one of the other zones.  You should only trust secure sites, those with “https” in the address bar and place sites that you inherently trust into the Trusted Sites zone.  The trusted Sites zone permits the web site to perform actions that you would only want a trusted partner to perform.

     Any sites that you discover that you determine are bad sites should be placed in the restricted sites zone then set the zone to not permit any actions to be performed on the computer.  This helps eliminate the risk of those sites causing any harm to you, your family, or your computer.

Conclusion

     The only truly secure computer is one located in an air-gap. No computer that connects to other computers or permits input from people or other devices can be truly secure. However, there are steps that may be taken to help reduce the risks to security from various sources.

     This article has presented some safe-surfing guidelines geared to families. Not all of these guidelines may be practical in your given environment. So, follow the guidelines that you feel are relevant and valuable and discard the rest. Any steps that you take are a step in the right direction. 

     May you and your family enjoy safe computing!

References

Baracuda Networks (2009). The baracuda web filter.
     Available from
     http://www.barracudanetworks.com/ns/products/.

GeurrillaMail.com (2009).Disposable Temporary E-Mail
     Addresses. Available from
     http://www.guerrillamail.com/