How to Turn on a Phishing Filter in XP

Study a website address carefully before entering your password.

The Internet is littered with websites designed to look exactly like the websites that you use every day, such as banking websites, Web mail services and even social networking websites. However, these websites are fraudulent, designed to lure unsuspecting users into entering their passwords, which are then harvested and used for theft or other illegal activities. This practice is called phishing, and it is extremely effective. To help combat phishing in Windows XP, install Internet Explorer 8 to take advantage of its built-in Phishing Filter feature.

Instructions

1. Open a Web browser and navigate to the Internet Explorer 8 website using the link in the "Resources" section of this article. Click the black "Download Now" button, select "Internet Explorer 8" and click "Download Now" again.

2. Click the "Save" button, navigate to the desktop and click "Save" again. Internet Explorer downloads the file "IE8-WindowsXP-x86-ENU."

3. Close Internet Explorer and double-click "IE8-WindowsXP-x86-ENU" when the download is finished. The installation utility extracts the contents of the archive and asks if you would like to participate in a program to improve Internet Explorer. Select "Yes" or "No" and then click "Next."

4. Examine the license terms for Internet Explorer 8, and then click "I Accept" to continue the installation process.

5. Select "Install Updates" if you would like to have Internet Explorer 8 update Windows and itself automatically before installing. Click "Next." Internet Explorer 8 will finish installing itself on your computer.

6. Click "Restart Now" to restart the computer after the Internet Explorer 8 installation process is complete. Launch the browser after the computer restarts. After launching the browser, the "Welcome to Internet Explorer 8" window appears. Click "Next."

7. Click a radio button to indicate whether you would like to enable the "Suggested Sites" feature. Click "Next."

8. Select the "Use Express Settings" radio button. Click "Finish." The Internet Explorer Phishing Filter is enabled.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have already installed Internet Explorer 8, enable the Phishing Filter by clicking the "Safety" button. Hover the mouse pointer over "SmartScreen Filter," and then click "Turn On SmartScreen Filter."

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 also includes the Phishing Filter feature. However, Microsoft recommends upgrading to Internet Explorer 8 for the best security and compatibility.

• While the Phishing Filter can increase your security online, it should not be treated as a replacement for good safety practices. Never browse to an important website such as a bank by clicking an email link. Always type the address manually in your browser.

References

• Microsoft: How to Turn the Internet Explorer Phishing Filter or SmartScreen Filter On or Off

Resources

• Microsoft: Internet Explorer 8 Website