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Default Settings for Security Zones in Different Versions of Internet Explorer 6

Each security zone in Internet Explorer comes with a group of settings for a number of functions. These settings can be reached from Internet Explorer by opening the "Tools" menu and choosing "Internet Options- Security". (View a tutorial) The table below lists the default settings for the three commonly used zones "Internet', "Trusted", and "Restricted". A comparison of these different zones using figures is also available for older versions as well as for the Windows XP SP2 update. The Microsoft VM entry is not present in newer machines where the Microsoft Java Machine is no longer installed. Some settings are present only on systems with the .NET framework installed. Windows XP with Service Pack 2 has additional settings, which are indicated in the table below by a pale red background. A page with more about the changes is here. A zone that is normally hidden, the "My Computer" zone, is discussed here.

Default settings for various Internet Explorer 6 security zones
(Red background indicates settings found only in Windows XP SP2)
Category Setting Internet Trusted Restricted
.NET Framework-reliant components (Not present in all systems) Run components not signed with Authenticode Enable Enable Disable
Run components signed with Authenticode Enable Enable Disable
ActiveX Controls and Plug-ins

Download signed
ActiveX controls

 Prompt Enable Disable
Download unsigned
ActiveX controls		 Disable Prompt Disable
Initialize and script
ActiveX controls not marked as safe		 Disable Prompt Disable
Run ActiveX
controls and plug-ins		 Enable Enable Disable
Script ActiveX controls
marked safe for scripting		 Enable Enable Disable
Automatic prompting for ActiveX controls Disable EnableDisable
Binary and script behaviors Enable Enable Disable
Downloads File download Enable Enable Disable
Font download Enable Enable Disable
Automatic prompting for file downloads Disable Enable Disable
Microsoft VM (only older systems) Java permissions High safety Low safety Disable Java
Miscellaneous Access data sources across domains Disable Enable Disable
Allow META REFRESH Enable Enable Disable
Display mixed content Enable Enable Disable
Don't prompt for client certificate selection when no certificates or only one certificate exists Disable Enable Disable
Drag and drop or copy and paste files Enable Enable Disable
Installation of desktop items Prompt Enable Disable
Launching programs and files in an IFRAME Prompt Enable Disable
Navigate sub-frames across different domains Disable Enable Disable
Software channel permissions Medium safety Low safety High safety
Submit nonencrypted form data Enable Enable Disable
Userdata persistence Enable Enable Disable
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser controlDisable EnableDisable
Allow script-initiated windows without size or position constraintsDisable EnableDisable
Allow Web pages to use restricted protocols for active content Prompt Prompt Disable
Open files based on content, not file extension Enable Enable Disable
Use Pop-up Blocker EnableDisable Enable
Web sites in less privileged web content zone can navigate into this zone Enable Prompt Disable
Scripting Active scripting Enable Enable Disable
Allow paste operations via script Enable Enable Disable
Scripting of Java applets Enable Enable Disable
User Authentication Logon Automatic logon only in Intranet zone Automatic logon with current username and password Prompt for user name and password

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