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Managing Security Zones in Windows XP Professional

Jun 14, 2002

␡

Introducing Logon: The Lost Parameter
Configuring the Internet Security Zone
Configuring the Local Intranet Zone
Configuring the Trusted Sites Security Zone
Configuring the Restricted Sites Security Zone
Summary

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Using security zones to protect both the systems you are responsible for and their content is critical to keep unwanted visitors from your network, in addition to errant downloads that can contain viruses and compromise the health of your networks internally. Using the options available for configuring each of the four security zones in Windows XP gives you as the administrator flexibility in defining a security strategy for your organization.

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In Windows XP, security zones are grouped into four categories: Restricted Sites, Trusted Sites, Local Intranet, and Internet. In addition to these categories, there are additional parameters you can set across zones. Provided following is a matrix comparing the 21 different parameters and their status by security zone. First, however, the specific security zones are defined:

Restricted Sites—Controls user access to Web content on sites that could potentially damage a computer or its data. Default security for this zone is High.
Trusted Sites—Controls user access to Web content on sites that are explicitly trusted and considered to be free of content that could damage the computer and its data. The default security level is a slightly modified version of Low, which allows downloading of unsigned ActiveX controls and sets Java permissions to Medium security.
Local Intranet—Controls user access to Web content on the local network, which can include local (intranet) sites; sites bypassed by the proxy server; and all network paths, such as Universal Naming Conventions (UNCs). Default security level is Medium-Low.
Internet—Controls user access to Web content on all sites not placed in other zones. The default security level is Medium.

The following table describes the security parameters for each security level:

Security Parameters	High	Medium	Medium-Low	Low
Download Signed ActiveX Controls	Disable	Prompt	Prompt	Enable
Download Unsigned ActiveX Controls	Disable	Disable	Disable	Prompt
Initialize and Script ActiveX Controls Not Marked as Safe	Disable	Disable	Disable	Prompt
Run ActiveX Controls and Plug-Ins	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable
File Download	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable
Font Download	Prompt	Enable	Enable	Enable
Access Data Sources Across Domains	Disable	Disable	Prompt	Enable
Allow Meta Refresh	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable
Display Mixed Content	Prompt	Prompt	Prompt	Prompt
Don't Prompt for Client Certificate	Disable	Disable	Enable	Enable
Drag and Drop or Copy and Paste Files	Prompt	Enable	Enable	Enable
Installation of Desktop Items	Disable	Prompt	Prompt	Enable
Launching Programs or files in an IFRAME	Disable	Prompt	Prompt	Enable
Navigate Subframes Across Different Domains	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable
Software Channel Permissions	High Safety	Medium Safety	Medium Safety	Low Safety
Submit Non-Encrypted Form Data	Prompt	Prompt	Enable	Enable
Userdata Persistence	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable
Active Scripting	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable
Allow Paste Operations	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable
Allow Paste Operations via Script	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable
Scripting of Java Applets	Disable	Enable	Enable	Enable

One of the most common security risks associated with the factors shown in the table is the enabling of ActiveX controls, plug-ins, Java applets, scripts, and downloads. If you're a system administrator, be sure to get a policy together and training to define the specific features you want to have tailored on ActiveX across company browsers. The fact that JavaScript has the potential to be a security breach for your system needs to be controlled through disabling the Scripting of Java Applets option.

Introducing Logon: the Lost Parameter

There's another parameter that isn't typically captured as part of the tables that define the variables associated with security zones. It's the Logon parameter, and it determines if user name and password information is sent automatically to content servers that request it. Any content server outside of a company can request this data, thereby getting access to user name and password information.

Due to the ease with which other servers, even outside of your company, can get user name and password information using this command, nothing but High security needs to be set. If Logon is set to Medium/High, then Logon is shared with intranet servers and those sites that have bypassed your proxy servers. With Logon security set to Low, any server from the intranet and Internet both can receive user name and password information. Be sure to set this option to High to make sure your systems are completely secure from inadvertently sending user name and password information either over the intranet in your organization or out to content servers on the Internet.

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