On a scale of 1 to 10, how dangerous is ActiveX controls?

Question

We get a pop up message that says " Your security settings do not allow Web sites to use ActiveX controls installed on your computer". If I want to use them, do I just click "enable" on all security settings that mention ActiveX controls? What else must I do? If it's dangerous, why is ActiveX installed in the first place?

Answer 1

I don't know.

How bad is herpes or AIDS?

I vote 10, personally.

Indeed, "if it is dangerous why is ActiveX installed in the first place?".

Last time I checked, the Macintosh computer did not support ActiveX and it also perhaps not coincidentally - did not have over one hundred thousand different viruses.

Of course, it could be all due to user error: things like running with lax security settings.

So why don't you just disable all of your security controls, let all ActiveX controls from every website your visit or receive an email from in Outlook install any Active X they want?

Then you can find out if those hundred thousand viruses are all made up or are real, when they show up on your computer.

ActiveX controls, for the most part, do not do really interesting things - in the sense of being useful or not. They only run on the MS-Windows operating system, they use native microprocessor instructions, are in some cases specific to particular versions of software on your computer, and in many cases are dangerous as can be - especially if you let them run and do anything.

Java applets are protectected from wreaking havoc on your computer and infecting it. Java Web Start applications can have limited access to your computer, matching with your level of trust for each one specifically - not all as a group.

In your case, the ActiveX control is probably simply asking you for permission to infect your computer with a virus, and leave the back door in your system for more to come flooding in.

One day soon, probably this week, you will then ask yourself "why is my computer running so slow", "why do my friends and relatives say they receive email from me advertising porn and touting the virtues of online gambling?", and "where did that money go from the bank account I use my computer to access".

When that day comes, just remember: you picked the computer, you picked the operating system, you picked the browser, and you picked the setting that disables all the protection against ActiveX based viruses for your computer.

Answer 2

ActiveX is an Internet Explorer item. You should go to http://www.getfirefox.com/ and download Firefox right now and switch to that. Or go to http://www.opera.com/ and download Opera and use that instead. Stop using Internet Explorer right now!

As for scale of 1 to 10 about how dangerous ActiveX controls are where 10 is extremely dangerous, ActiveX controls would rate a 100. I am not kidding. Using an ActiveX control and a website, I can remotely control a house from the Internet. That should give you an idea about how powerful ActiveX controls are - you can do ANYTHING with them.

Answer 3

20

Answer 4

Go to Tools>Internet Options>Security tab>click the Default Button and this will reset your Active X settings.

Answer 5

100

Answer 6

active x controls can be used to pass viruses to your computer and other bad stuff. they are also used for good purposes on reputable websites. i install and use them on sites i know would not being trying to infect my computer. just use common sense as with email attachments.