What to Disable in Internet Options
Internet Explorer 8 has a number of settings you can configure using Internet Options. The default settings allow for secure Web browsing in many situations. However, you might find that a security setting prohibits you from using certain websites or you might need to disable a feature to provide a more secure environment. You can access Internet Options from the Tools menu in the Internet Explorer Command Bar, which is located on the toolbar to the right of the tabs. If the Tools menu is not displayed, you can display it by dragging the resize bar to the left.
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Zones
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The easiest way to manage which features are disabled is to use the Security tab to assign sites to zones. Internet Explorer defines four zones: Local intranet, Trusted sites, Restricted sites, and Internet. The Local intranet affects the sites you access on the local network by using the IP address or the computer name without the domain name extension (http://myComputer instead of http://myComputer.myDomain.com). You can add a site to Restricted sites or Trusted sites to cause the settings defined for that zone to apply to that site. All sites that are not in one of the other zones are considered to be in the Internet zone.
Zone Security Levels
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You can configure which functionality is enabled or disabled for the sites in a specific zone by using the slider bar or by defining custom settings. The slider bar defines five default levels: Low, Medium Low, Medium, Medium High, and High. The higher security levels disable more functionality. For example, at the High level, a lot of functionality that could open your computer to a security exploit is disabled. The default security level for the Restricted Sites zone is High, so placing a site you don't trust in the High security zone will disable many features that might cause your computer to be compromised.
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Pop-up Blocker
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Internet Explorer includes a pop-up blocker that prevents websites from opening a new window, known as a pop-up. Pop-ups are commonly used by adware and can be both annoying and malicious. However, some websites depend on pop-ups. You can disable the pop-up blocker for all sites by clearing the "Turn-on Pop-up Blocker" checkbox on the Privacy tab. A better option is to disable the pop-up blocker only for the sites that need it by clicking the Settings button on the Privacy tab and adding the URL of the site that uses pop-ups.
Cookies
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Cookies are small files that a website can create on your computer. They are used to store information about your actions during a session or between sessions. Some cookies are necessary for a website to function correctly. Other cookies can be malicious and can track which websites you visit and other information. The slider bar on the Privacy tab allows you to disable support for first party cookies (cookies placed by the site you are visiting), third-party cookies (cookies that are placed by a site that is linked to by the site you are visiting), and cookies that do not include a privacy policy.
Add-Ons
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Add-Ons provide specialized functionality. Common add-ons include browser toolbars, Adobe Flash (which is used to provide animations and is required by many online games), and Microsoft Silverlight (which is used to provide animations and other special effects). Unfortunately, add-ons can also cause problems. You can disable harmful add-ons by clicking the Manage Add-Ons button on the Programs tab of Internet Options.
Advanced Settings
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The Advanced tab allows you to enable and disable individual settings by placing a check mark next to it. If a setting is marked by an asterisk (*), you will need to restart the computer before the new value takes effect. Remember that the settings you define here apply to all websites you visit. If you define a setting that causes problems, you can revert the advanced settings to their default values by clicking Restore Advanced Settings. You can also revert all Internet Options to their default values by clicking the Reset button.
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References
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