[thelist] Re: thelist ActiveX Security (was: disable Flash)

[George Dillon]

Mark Groen wrote:

> > ...Active X controls ... set to prompt... sites that I am not familiar
> > with, I always click NO...

John Dowdell rejoindered:

> check which ActiveX Controls are already installed
> assume that the default collection with your OS is safe
> Summary: Well-distributed plugins and controls need to restrict
> security breaches, or they won't be well-distributed anymore

Thanks for that reassurance, John.  Your explanation - clear and
well-informed as ever - has induced me to rethink my own position vis-a-vis
Flash/ActiveX.  I used to do exactly as Mark describes, chucking the monster
Flash out with the bathwater of ActiveX, but I really think I should
experience the web as others do, so...

Obvious question: how do I check which ActiveX Controls are already
installed and where they're from/what they do?  Is there some built-in
ActiveX analyser/checker in the OS or (... he hesitates to even say it ...)
does anyone know of a (... pause ...) Freeware app which can do this?

(Yes, I know, I really ought to pay for it, but I'm an unreconstructed
cheap-skate ;)

OTOH I'm not sure I'm willing to trust the default set of ActiveX as
implicitly as you say.  M$ have issued numerous patches to ActiveX controls
for potential security holes - which hardly makes one feel safe with what
one's got.

TIA

George

<tip type="QuickTime">

Problems installing QuickTime using the default installer?  Try the
stand-alone installer.  This link (correct as of 9/May/2001) will take you
direct to the stand-alone installer for 4.1.2:

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/support/

</tip>