What Is an ActiveX Plugin?
An ActiveX plugin is among the most widely used software components available today. It performs a particular operation to allow programs from Microsoft Windows to be used on web-based applications and other similar functions. Through ActiveX plugins, media players, desktop applications and other programs can now be embedded on other software programs.
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History
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ActiveX plugins are part of an overall framework of reusable components, also known as controls, that were first introduced back in 1996 by the Microsoft Corporation. They are under the company's Component Object Model and Object Linking and Embedding technologies. During its first release, ActiveX plugins were used in various programs in the Windows operating system. Since it is a product of Microsoft, ActiveX controls were not applicable on other operating systems such as Mac and Linux.
Functions
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ActiveX plugins allow linking and embedding of many Microsoft software applications with each other, as well as with other programs. ActiveX controls link the programs' key features and embed them on other applications to increase multitasking activities both online and offline. The applications that embed ActiveX controls on web pages include the Windows Media Player, Microsoft Visual Studio, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office.
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Eligibility
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Certain web pages require the use of an ActiveX control within their HTML content. Once the Internet browser encounters such a page, it download and automatically installs the control so the original web page to run. However, Microsoft also introduced security measures such as the digital signing of installation packs, declaration of the plugins to be safe for scripting, stringent security settings and noninclusion in the Internet Explorer's blacklist of dangerous controls.
Improvements
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Because of their wide use and almost uninterrupted installation, ActiveX plugins are at risk from exploitation by malicious software, spyware and viruses. Thus, Microsoft has improved its security standards and has closed all loopholes present in the latest version of Internet Explorer to manage the safety of ActiveX controls; plugins can therefore be used on other applications besides a web browser.
Other Uses
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ActiveX plugins can be used on other web browsers besides the Internet Explorer, but not all their features are supported by the framework's controls. These include Google Chrome for Windows and Mozilla Firefox for Windows. As of December 2009, most of ActiveX plugins are compatible with Firefox.
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