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Enough is Enough! from Network
Chico
You can now download Enough
is Enough! (77 KB) directly from Network
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services. Please review
this page and the readme.txt file included with the software
before use. Simply click on the download
button and save the software to your computer. Enough
is Enough! is stored as a .zip
file so you will need an unzipping program such as FreeZip
to extract the files. If you download this software please consider
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you.
Have you just about had it with sneaky spyware
installations, pesky third-party cookies from pushy advertisers
and marketers, and the unending blizzard of popups and popunders
from web sites? Haven't you really had just about enough of these
obnoxious, invasive practices that trash your computer and violate
your privacy? Then it's time you said, "Enough is Enough!"
Overview
Enough is Enough! is a lockdown utility for Internet Explorer
5 and 6. When you install Enough is Enough!, it will:
- Lock down your Internet and Restricted sites zones with restrictive
settings for dangerous options like ActiveX, Java, scripting,
and a few others.
- Severely restrict the use of cookies (but not completely
disable them for trusted web sites or for single session use).
- Disable several Advanced settings, including Install on Demand
and Third-party Browser Extensions.
- Install Microsoft's IE PowerTweaks WebZone Accessory, putting
two new options on your IE Tools menu, with corresponding buttons
on your Toolbar: "Add to Trusted Zone" and "Add
to Restricted Zone."
With these new Internet Explorer settings you will be protected
from the more dangerous elements of the web without having to
worry about putting known nasties into your Restricted sites
zone:
- You'll be protected from rogue crapware installations (e.g.,
Gator, BonziBuddy, WebHancer, Lop.com, and the like).
- You won't be accepting cookies from direct marketing outfits
who seek to monitor and track your travels around the Net.
- You'll put an end to annoying, useless popups at most web
sites by default.
- You'll put all web sites on a "short leash" until
you trust them enough to add them to your Trusted sites zone.
In short, Internet Explorer will start behaving as YOU want
it to behave, not as direct marketers and spyware pushers want
it to behave. What you do with Enough is Enough! is enforce your
very own "opt-in" policy: no web sites get to use permanent
cookies, ActiveX, Java, JavaScript and other dangerous Internet
Explorer options until you explicitly give them the go-ahead
by putting those sites into your Trusted zone.
Caution!
A word of warning: the severely restrictive IE settings that
Enough is Enough! uses will break many web sites until you add
them to your Trusted sites zone. These settings will also disable
third-party browser add-ons (commonly known as "plugins").
Keep in mind that you can always tweak IE's settings through
the Internet Options box after installing Enough is Enough! And
of course, Enough is Enough! installs Microsoft's Power Tweaks
WebZone Accessory so that you can quickly and conveniently add
sites you visit frequently (and which require permanent cookies
or certain types of active content) to the Trusted sites zones.
Once you add a site that you trust to the Trusted sites zone,
it should start working again. See the section titled "Coping
with Problem Web Sites & Browser Add-ons" below for
more advice on dealing with problem web sites and third-party
browser add-ons.
More than Enough?
Enough is Enough! isn't for everyone. If you find broken web
sites *extremely frustrating* and taking the time to add web
sites to your Trusted sites zone is too annoying for you to deal
with, then Enough is Enough! might be "more than enough"
for you -- it might be much too much. There are several uninstallation
options, so you're not stuck with Enough is Enough! by any means,
should you decide that it's not for you (see the "Uninstallation"
section below for more details).
If Enough is Enough! isn't for you, you might consider downloading
and installing IE-SPYAD. IE-SPYAD will add a long list of known
advertisers, marketers, and crapware pushers to your Restricted
sites zone, giving you a large measure of protection from the
nastier elements of the web while still allowing you to keep
your Internet zone settings fairly loose.
You can download IE-SPYAD here:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
Compatibility
Enough is Enough! is compatible with Internet Explorer 5 and
above. The installer will detect if you're using Internet Explorer
6.0 and adjust the settings it installs accordingly. The installer
is a bit dumb, though. If you once had Internet Explorer 6 on
your system but have since uninstalled it and returned to some
version of Internet Explorer 5, you should fire up REGEDIT.EXE
and make sure that the following key doesn't still exist in your
Registry:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\P3P
If it does exist, delete it. That key is specific to IE6's
P3P settings. That's the key that the installer looks for to
determine if you're running IE6. If you've already run the installer
once, you can re-run the installer to pick up the IE5 specific
cookie settings. Enough is Enough! should not be used
on Internet Explorer 3.0 or 4.0 (though the installer will let
you do it). If you mistakenly install Enough is Enough! on Internet
Explorer 3.0 or 4.0, you can uninstall it and restore your previous
IE settings by re-running INSTALL.BAT.
Installation
Enough is Enough ships with two installer utilities:
- INSTALL.BAT installs the complete Enough is Enough package,
including all the Privacy & Security settings as well as
the WebZone Accessory and Toolbar zone buttons.
- INST-BUT.BAT installs just the WebZone accessory (or even
just the Toolbar zone buttons, if you already have the IE Power
Tweaks Web Accessories from Microsoft).
Complete Installation with INSTALL.BAT
Complete installation of Enough is Enough with INSTALL.BAT
is simple. Make sure Internet Explorer is closed. Then run the
installer, INSTALL.BAT.
The installer will first:
- copy CHOICE.EXE to your Windows directory if you're running
Windows NT/2K/XP and don't already have that simple DOS utility
(which is used by INSTALL.BAT);
- check to see if you're running Internet Explorer 6.0;
- copy CHOICE.COM to your Windows directory if CHOICE.COM is
not already on your computer,
- back up your current Internet Explorer settings (your current
settings are backed up as 2 .REG files named BACK-*.REG in the
\BACKUP sub-directory and will be used if you uninstall Enough
is Enough!).
- notify you if Internet Explorer 6.0 is detected. (You will
receive this notice only the first time you run Enough si Enough!)
Then you will be presented with the main menu. Choose option
1 to install Enough is Enough!
Unfortunately, the installer is fairly inflexible -- there
is only one installation configuration, and it's an "all
or nothing" deal. You will get all the strict Internet Explorer
Privacy and Security settings as well as the WebZone Accessory
and Toolbar zone buttons. (See the 'What "Enough is Enough!"
Really Does' section below for complete details of the IE settings
used.) Of course, you can always tweak your settings through
the IE Internet Options box after you install Enough is Enough!
And don't forget the Power Tweaks WebZone Accessory, which lets
you add sites to your Trusted sites and Restricted sites zones
from the Tools menu.
Note that if Microsoft's Internet Explorer Power Tweaks Web
Accessories is already installed on your system, the installer
will not install WebZone or the Toolbar zone buttons. (WebZone
is derived from the Power Tweaks Web Accessories package and
would be redundant.) If you want the Toolbar buttons, run INST-BUT.BAT,
which is located in the same directory as INSTALL.BAT. Once Enough
is Enough! is finished installing, fire up Internet Explorer
and away you go!
Installation of Only WebZone/Buttons with INST-BUT.BAT
INSTALL.BAT assumes that you want to install all the configuration
changes to IE's Privacy and Security settings as well as the
WebZone Accessory (with the IE Toolbar zone buttons). If you
would like to install ONLY the WebZone Accessory or even just
the IE Toolbar zone buttons (i.e., you already have the Power
Tweaks Web Accessories installed), then run the INST-BUT.BAT
file in the same direcotyr as INSTALL.BAT. To uninstall just
WebZone, you can either run the main installer (INSTALL.BAT)
*or* INST-BUT.BAT -- both have options to completely uninstall
WebZone. If you would like to uninstall ONLY the buttons (and
leave WebZone or the complete PowerTweaks Web Accessories package),
however, then run INST-BUT.BAT.
Multiple User Profiles
If you have multiple user profiles on your computer and want
EiE's settings to work on all of those profiles, you'll have
to install EiE separately on each profile.
Missing Files
If INSTALL.BAT or INST-BUT.BAT complains about a missing file
when you attempt to install, the most likely reason is that the
EiE package you downloaded wasn't completely unpacked. The EiE
installation package contains several sub-directories under the
main \ENOUGH install directory, and your "un-zipper"
program may not have properly unpacked all the sub-directories.
If you downloaded the .ZIP file, the easiest solution is to download
the self-extracting .EXE install package and use that package
instead. The .EXE file should extract on its own to the directory
C:\ENOUGH. All the sub-dirs should be properly unpacked.
CHOICE.EXE & Windows NT/2000/XP
Both INSTALL.BAT and INST-BUT.BAT make use of CHOICE.COM,
a DOS utility which shipped with every version of MS DOS 6.0
and above as well as all versions of Win 9x, including Windows
95, Windows 98, and Windows Me. Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000,
and Windows XP do not, however, include a copy of this file.
Moreover, CHOICE.COM apparently has compatibility issues with
the Windows XP command shell interpreter. This distribution includes
a copy of both CHOICE.COM (from Windows 95 B - OSR2) and CHOICE.EXE
(from the Windows 2000 Professional Resource Kit), which has
equivalent functionality to CHOICE.COM. If INSTALL.BAT or INST-BUT.BAT
detect that you're running Windows NT/2000/XP, they will automatically
install CHOICE.EXE to your Windows directory (usually \WINNT).
(If you're running Windows 95, 98, or Me and CHOICE.COM seems
to be missing, they will instead install CHOICE.COM to \WINDOWS.)
If you're running Windows XP and one of the installers gives
you errors every time you reach one of the menus, the problem
is likely that a straight DOS version of CHOICE.COM is somewhere
on your path. Even when CHOICE.EXE is installed in the Windows
directory (\WINNT), if one of the installers finds CHOICE.COM,
it will use CHOICE.COM instead of CHOICE.EXE. We want the installers
to use CHOICE.EXE, which is compatible with Windows XP. Check
your Windows directory (usually \WINNT) as well as your System
directory (\WINNT\SYSTEM32). If you find CHOICE.COM (as opposed
to CHOICE.EXE), remove it. Also, if you downloaded an earlier
version of this utility that included only CHOICE.COM, make sure
that CHOICE.COM is not located in the top level installation
directory (a copy is included in the \CHOICE sub-directory, but
that's OK). In other words, make sure that there is no chance
that CHOICE.COM will be used. On Windows XP, you should be using
CHOICE.EXE instead.
Uninstallation
INSTALL.BAT and INST-BUT.BAT let you uninstall Enough is Enough!
or parts of the Enough is Enough! package.
Uninstallation with INSTALL.BAT
Uninstallation is more flexible than installation. Make sure
Internet Explorer is closed. Then run the installer, INSTALL.BAT,
which also serves as the uninstaller. From the main menu, choose
option 2 to uninstall Enough is Enough! You will then be presented
with a menu of uninstallation options:
[1] Uninstall All
This uninstalls everything, including WebZone, and restores
your Internet Explorer settings from the 2 backup files (hope
you didn't delete them!). In effect IE will be restored to the
state it was when you installed Enough is Enough! Note if the
IE Power Tweaks Web Accessories is on your system, the uninstaller
will not attempt to uninstall WebZone.
[2] Uninstall, but leave WebZone
Essentially the same as the first uninstallation option, but
this one leaves WebZone.
[3] Uninstall WebZone only
This option leaves all your IE settings, but uninstalls WebZone.
Note if the IE Power Tweaks Web Accessories is on your system,
the uninstaller will abort and refuse to uninstall WebZone. Note
that the WebZone Accessory is added to your Add/Remove Programs
list in the Control Panel and can be selectively uninstalled
from there as well. Look for the entry labeled "Microsoft
Internet Explorer 5 Power Tweaks WebZone Accessory."
[4] Restore Default IE6 Cookie Settings only
This option is for IE6 users only. It restores IE6 cookie
settings to the *default* settings (not your own previous settings.)
This option is useful if you want to tweak IE6's cookies settings
but can't hack the Registry to reset the cookie settings in the
Trusted sites zone (which are not configurable from the Internet
Options, unlike every other setting that Enough is Enough! changes.)
If you're an IE5 user, the uninstaller will abort because you
don't have IE6.
After You Install
Words of advice: don't delete the 2 BACK-*.REG files -- you
just might need them if you decide that you you want to uninstall
and return to your previous settings. If you'd like to conserve
space on your hard drive and reduce clutter, you can save only
the two BACK-*.REG files and delete the rest of the Enough is
Enough! installation directory. To uninstall properly, though,
you'll need to unpack a copy of Enough is Enough! and put the
two BACK-*.REG files in a sub-dir called \BACKUP (where INSTALL.BAT
expects to find them). Keep in mind that when those backups are
restored, you will lose any customizations that you've made to
Internet Explorer's zones since the backups were created -- for
example, new sites that you've added to the Trusted zone.
Uninstallation of WebZone & Buttons with INST-BUT.BAT
To uninstall just WebZone, you can either run INSTALL.BAT
*or* INST-BUT.BAT (in the same directory) -- both have options
to completely uninstall WebZone. If you would like to uninstall
ONLY the IE Toolbar zone buttons, however (and leave WebZone
or the complete PowerTweaks Web Accessories package), then run
INST-BUT.BAT.
What "Enough is Enough!" Really Does
Enough is Enough configures the Internet and Restricted Security
zones in Internet Explorer very securely:
* ActiveX, Java, and scripting are all disabled
These kinds of "active content" can let web sites
do obnoxious, dangerous, and malicious things to your web browser
and computer. In worst case scenarios, such technologies can
leave your PC open to security holes, exposing your computer
and private data. Many web sites depend on active content technologies,
though, and some web sites may break with these options turned
off.
* "Installation of desktop items," "Install
on Demand," and "Enable third-party browser extensions"
are all disabled
These options can be used by unsavory web sites to install
spyware and foistware on your computer, often with very little
notice or warning. Disabling these options may break some browser
add-ons or plugins, however.
* Misc settings are disabled
Internet Explorer includes several misc. settings that can
expose your computer to security breaches in worst case scenarios.
These settings (summarized below in the table) are disabled.
With these settings disabled, however, some web sites may not
work properly.
* Cookies are severely restricted
Cookies can be used to monitor and track your behavior across
the internet. They are often used by web sites and big third-party
advertisers and marketers to "personalize" their direct
marketing pitches. Cookies are not completely disabled by Enough
is Enough!, but they are severely restricted. Cookies do have
legitimate uses (e.g., for shopping and banking), however, and
some web sites that you visit frequently may require them. You'll
note that many of the settings disabled by Enough is Enough!
may be required by some legitimate web sites and browser add-ons.
For advice on dealing with trusted web sites and browser add-ons
that require these options to be enabled, see the "Coping
with Problem Web Sites & Browser Add-ons" section later
in this ReadMe.
Here's a complete table summary of how Enough is Enough! configures
Internet Explorer:
Security Zones
Enough is Enough! configures both the Internet and Restricted
sites zones for maximum security. Here are the settings it uses
for BOTH zones:
ActiveX Controls
- Download signed ActiveX controls......DISABLE
- Download unsigned ActiveX controls....DISABLE
- Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins.....DISABLE
- Initialize and run ActiveX controls and plug-ins not marked
as safe...DISABLE
- Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting.....DISABLE
Microsoft VM
- Java permissions......................DISABLE
Scripting
- Active scripting......................DISABLE
- Scripting of Java programs............DISABLE
- Allow paste operations via script.....DISABLE
Misc
- Access data sources across domains....DISABLE
- Userdata persistence..................DISABLE
- Navigate sub-frames across different domains..DISABLE
- Installation of desktop items.........DISABLE
- Load applications and files in an IFRAME.....DISABLE
- Software channel permissions..........HIGH SAFETY
User Authentication
- Logon.................................Prompt for user name
and password
IE6 Options
If you're using Internet Explorer 6.0, Enough is Enough! also
configures the following IE6 specific options in both the Internet
and Restricted sites zones:
- Allow Meta REFRESH....................DISABLE
- Display Mixed Content.................DISABLE
Advanced Settings
Enough is Enough! disables the following settings on the Advanced
tab in the Internet Options box:
- Automatically check for Internet Explorer updates......DISABLE
- Enable Install On Demand (Internet Explorer)....DISABLE
- Enable Install On Demand (Other)......DISABLE
- Enable third-party browser extensions............DISABLE
Note that some of these settings may break sites like Microsoft's
Windows Update. If you use Windows Update, you can temporarily
enable the Install on Demand options. (You also ought to add
the microsoft.com domain to your Trusted sites zone.) They may
also break third-party browser add-ons and plug-ins.
Cookies
Enough is Enough! configures cookies differently for Internet
Explorer 5 and 6.
Internet Explorer 5
Internet Explorer 5 cookies settings are configured as follows
in both the Internet and Restricted sites zones (cookies in the
Trusted sites zone are not touched):
- Allow cookies that are stored on your computer.........DISABLE
- Allow per-session cookies (not stored).............ENABLE
Internet Explorer 6
Internet Explorer 6.0 cookies settings are configured as follows:
Internet:
- 1st-party - all "downgraded" to Session cookies
- 3rd-party - all blocked
Trusted sites:
- 1st-party - all "leashed" to 1st-party contexts
only
- 3rd-party - all blocked
Session cookies are allowed in both zones. Restricted sites
zone cookie settings are not configured (all cookies are blocked
by default in IE6).
Note that this is essentially R2's second (preferred) Custom
XML Privacy Import file which you can find as file 4d-s.xml in
the XML-Menu package downloadable here:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource5.htm
Note also that unlike almost every other setting that Enough
is Enough! changes, the cookie settings for the Trusted sites
zone in IE6 cannot be tweaked or configured through the Internet
Options box. That's why there's an uninstallation option specifically
for IE6 cookie settings in the (un)installer utility, INSTALL.BAT.
If you need more information on what all the settings you've
seen are, then check the online Help from within Internet Explorer.
Also, see the "For More Information" section towards
the end of this ReadMe for links to several helpful web sites.
"How Can I Tell if It Worked?"
You can check to see that Enough is Enough! is installed properly
by looking at Internet Explorer's Options box, where Internet
Explorer lets you view and configure the very options that Enough
is Enough! modifies.
1. Open the Internet Options box
Hit Tools >> Internet Options... from within IE. Or go
to the Control Panel and open the Internet Options applet.
2. Switch to the "Security" tab
Click the "Security" tab to bring it to the fore.
3. Check the Internet zone & Restricted sites zone
Select the Internet zone, then hit "Custom Level."
IE will open the "Security Settings" for the Internet
zone. From here you can scroll down and compare the settings
you see with the settings listed above for Enough is Enough!
They should match. Note that Enough is Enough! configures most,
but not all, of the settings that you see here. You CAN tweak
any of the settings that you see in the "Security Settings"
box without losing all over the other customizations that Enough
is Enough! made. If a particular option in a certain zone doesn't
suit your preferences, tweak away. You can always restore all
of Enough is Enough's settings by re-running the INSTALL.BAT
and choosing the installation option.
Click "OK" to exit the "Security Settings"
for the Internet zone and then check the "Security Settings"
for the Restricted sites zone.
4. Switch to the "Privacy" tab (IE6 only)
If you're running Internet Explorer 6.0, you should also have
a "Privacy" tab. (This tab doesn't appear in earlier
versions of Internet Explorer.) Click on the "Privacy"
tab to bring it to the fore.
5. Check "Privacy" tab settings (IE6 only)
The "Privacy" tab allows IE6 users to configure cookie
handling for the Internet zone. (By default, IE6 blocks all cookies
in the Restricted sites zone and allows all cookies in the Trusted
sites zone.) On the "Privacy" tab, the slider bar should
not appear. Instead, you should see the message "Custom
- advanced or imported settings." Enough is Enough! uses
custom cookie settings for both the Internet and Trusted sites
zones. If you click the "Advanced..." button to bring
up the "Advanced Privacy Actions" box, the "Override
automatic cookie handling" checkbox should be unchecked
and all other settings greyed out. Note: do not change the settings
on the "Privacy" tab if you want to continue using
Enough is Enough's cookies settings. If you use the "Advanced
Privacy Settings" tab or the Privacy Settings slider bar
(by hitting the "Default" button), then you will override
and undo the cookie settings that Enough is Enough! put in place.
Of course, if this is what you want to do, by all means override
them. You can, however, add sites to the "Per Site Privacy
Actions" box (by hitting the "Edit" button) without
changing Enough is Enough's cookies settings. Keep in mind, though,
that you cannot configure cookie handling in IE6 for the Trusted
sites zone through the Privacy tab -- by default, all cookies
(both 1st-party and 3rd-party) are allowed unless you load custom
cookie settings, such as Enough is Enough! does.
6. Switch to the "Advanced" tab
Click the "Advanced" tab to bring it to the fore.
7. Verify the "Advanced" tab settings
Enough is Enough! disables only four settings on the "Advanced"
tab:
- Automatically check for Internet Explorer updates
- Enable Install On Demand (Internet Explorer)
- Enable Install On Demand (Other)
- Enable third-party browser extensions
The rest are left alone.
8. Close the Internet Options box
Click "OK" to close the Internet Options box. From
within Internet Explorer you should also see two round buttons
on the IE Toolbar. If you move your mouse over them, their colors
will change, and you should see the labels "Add to Trusted
Zone" and "Add to Restricted Zone" respectively.
On the "Tools" menu, you should see two entries with
the same text labels. These are the WebZone functions, which
allow you to add the current site you happen to be visiting to
either zone. Remember that Internet Explorer Privacy & Security
settings are user specific. In other words, the configuration
changes that Enough is Enough! makes apply only to the user logged
in when Enough is Enough! runs. If there are multiple profiles
on the PC, the users associated with those other profiles retain
their own IE settings. By contrast, the new Tools menu options
and Toolbar buttons for the WebZone Accessory will show up in
Internet Explorer for all users. If you need more information
on any of the settings you've seen, check the online Help from
within Internet Explorer. Also, see the "For More Information"
section towards the end of this ReadMe for links to several helpful
web sites.
"What does Enough is Enough! do that I can't do myself?"
The biggest selling point of EiE is convenience: instead of
wading through all of Internet Explorer's Privacy and Security
settings manually, you can run EIE and configure all of the most
important settings for maxiumum security in one simple step.
It is true, though, that most of the settings that EiE configures
can be modified by the user through the Internet Options box.
But not all of them, if you're running Internet Explorer 6.0.
For Internet Explorer 6.0, EiE sets the following cookie options:
Internet:
- 1st-party - all "downgraded" to Session cookies
- 3rd-party - all blocked
Trusted sites:
- 1st-party - all "leashed" to 1st-party contexts
only
- 3rd-party - all blocked
The Privacy tab does not allow you to configure cookies for
the Internet zone in that way. The Advanced Privacy Settings
allow you to configure 1st-party and 3rd-party cookies, but you
can't select "downgrade." The slider bar does incorporate
cookie "downgrading," but no one of the 6 pre-configured
slider levels will give you the combination you see above. Moreover,
unlike EiE, the Privacy tab doesn't allow you to configure cookies
in the Trusted sites zone at all. Period. Third-party cookies
from sites in the Trusted sites zone cannot be blocked -- you
allow them whether you want them or not. And because you accept
all 1st-party cookies in the Trusted sites zone with no strings
attached, those sites can turn around and re-use them in 3rd-party
contexts. By contrast, EiE "leashes" 1st-party cookies
in the Trusted sites zone to 1st-party contexts only and blocks
all third-party cookies in the Trusted sites zone. Now, you can
achieve the same results for IE6 by hacking the Registry or creating
your own custom XML Privacy Import file, but you can't do it
through the default IE6 GUI. Of course, EiE, offers only one
configuration set for cookies in IE6. If you're interested in
others, you might check out XML-Menu, also on my web site:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource5.htm
XML-Menu gives you 100 custom XML Privacy Import files that
you can use with IE6. In case you're curious, the settings that
EiE uses correspond to file 4d-s.xml from XML-Menu (R2's second
Import file). Finally, EiE does install the IE PowerTweaks WebZone
Accessory for you as well as R2's Toolbar buttons for "Add
to Trusted Zone"/"Add to Restricted Zone." In
fact, if you only want the WebZone Accessory and the Toolbar
buttons, you can install just those. Run the INST-BUT.BAT installer,
not the main installer (INSTALL.BAT).
"What if the WebZone Accessory Isn't Working?"
If the WebZone Accessory with the "Add to..Zone"
options and buttons doesn't seem to be working, here's what you
can try:
1. Uninstall the WebZone Accessory
Run the INSTALL.BAT again, choose Uninstall, then choose Uninstall
WebZone only.
2. Download & Install the IE Power Tweaks Web Accessories
Download the full PowerTweaks Web Accessories from Microsoft
here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/previous/webaccess/default.mspx
...and install it.
3. Selectively Install the Zone Buttons
After installing PTWA from MS, run the INST-BUT.BAT installer
from Enough is Enough! From the main install menu, choose to
install the Zone Buttons only. In most cases this should get
the WebZone Accessory working on your system.
Coping with Problem Web Sites & Browser Add-ons
While the Internet Explorer settings that Enough is Enough!
uses provide you a great deal of protection while you surf the
web, they may also cause you problems with some web sites and
browser add-ons (plug-ins). What follows is some advice for dealing
with problems that crop up after you install Enough is Enough!
Problem Web Sites
Some web sites require things like Java, JavaScript, ActiveX,
and cookies. In many cases these web sites will warn you that
they do require such things and will not let you in until they
are enabled. If you encounter a web site that requires cookies
or JavaScript, for example, and you *trust* that web site not
to do malicious things to your computer or violate your privacy,
you can add that web site to your Trusted sites zone. The Trusted
sites zone uses much looser Privacy and Security settings, and
web sites that were once broken should start to work properly
once they are put in the Trusted sites zone. After you install
Enough is Enough!, it's easy to add web sites to your Trusted
sites zone. Enough is Enough! installs the WebZone Accessory
and Toolbar buttons. This places two options on your "Tools"
menu in IE along with corresponding buttons on the IE Toolbar:
- Add to Trusted Zone
- Add to Restricted Zone
When you encounter a web site that you trust and which needs
things like JavaScript and cookies, simply hit the "Add
to Trusted Zone" button or "Tools" menu option
to add it to your Trusted sites zone. Then reload the page. In
most cases that web site should now work. In some cases, though,
you may have to add additional sub-sites or sub-pages from the
web site to your Trusted sites zone to get the entire web site
working. If a web site still doesn't work after reloading the
page and adding other sub-pages to the Trusted sites zone, try
clearing your Temporary Internet Files (Tools >> Internet
Options... >> Delete Files), and then closing and re-opening
Internet Explorer. Keep in mind that once you add web site to
the Trusted sites zone, it will be able to use ActiveX, Java,
scripting, and cookies -- so be choosy about the sites you add
to the Trusted sites zone. Make sure that they are sites you
really trust.
You can view and edit the web sites that you've added to your
Trusted sites zone in the Internet Options... box:
1. Go to "Tools" >> "Internet Options..."
2. In the Internet Options box that pops up, hit the "Security"
tab.
3. Select the Trusted sites zone (the green checkmark icon).
4. Hit the "Sites..." button to bring up the list of
sites in your Trusted sites zone.
5. Edit or add sites as you see fit. Two tips for doing so:
* Uncheck the "Require server verification (https:) for
all sites in this zone." Until you do, you won't be able
to manually type in standard web sites through the "Sites"
box.
* Use wildcards ( * ) to specify entire domains. For example,
instead of adding multiple web sites from Microsoft, you can
add the following entry, which will add all Microsoft web sites
to the Trusted sites zone:
*.microsoft.com
Note the use of the *. to specify all microsoft.com URL's and
protocols. And note also that we didn't have to add an http://
at the front of the entry. Be cautious in adding entire domains
to the Trusted sites zone. If you know that all you need is one
particular page or URL, then it would be safer to add just that
one URL for the page you need to the Trusted sites zone.
6. Once you're through adding and editing web sites, click
"OK" to save your changes, and then "OK"
again to close the Internet Options box.
As we noted earlier, after you install Enough is Enough! web
sites aren't allowed to use potentially dangerous and privacy
invasive technologies until you give them the go-ahead by adding
them to your Trusted sites zone. Yes, it is an extra step or
two, but this arrangement is much safer than letting web sites
(esp. unknown ones) use such technologies by default. If you're
running Internet Explorer 6.0 and you encounter web sites that
need cookies enabled in order to work, but you don't trust the
site enough to let it into your Trusted sites zone, you can add
the site to the "Per Site Privacy Actions" box on the
Privacy tab. The "Per Site Privacy Actions" box lets
you override the Privacy tab's cookie settings for individual
sites (either "Block" or "Allow").
Here's how to do it:
1. Open the "Per Site Privacy Actions" box
On the Privacy tab, hit the "Edit..." button. The "Per
Site Privacy Actions" box will open.
2. Type site URL in "Address of web site:"
Type the URL of the site you want to "Allow" or "Block"
into the "Adress of web site:" box. Keep in mind that
Internet Explorer will shorten the address to just the domain.
For example, if you type in www.myfavoritesite.org, IE will shorten
it to simply myfavoritesite.org.
3. Click "Allow" (or "Block") to Add to "Managed
Web Sites"
Click the "Allow" (or "Block") button to
add the site to the "Managed Web Sites"list. You can
always remove the site later with the "Remove" button
if you want.
4. Close the "Per Site Privacy Actions" box
Click "OK" to close the "Per Site Privacy Actions"
box and save your changes.
Remember that when you add sites to the "Per Site Privacy
Actions" you are configuring only cookie-handling for those
sites. They remain in the Internet zone, which means that they
follow all other restrictions you have in the Internet zone (e.g.,
ActiveX, Java, scripting, et al). Adding the same sites to the
Trusted sites zone, by contrast, will give those sites access
not only to cookies, but to all the other (presumably lenient)
security policies that you've set in the Trusted sites zone.
Indeed, the "Per Site Privacy Actions" box can be useful
to let certain sites use cookies while still keeping them on
a short leash otherwise (because you're not adding them to the
Trusted sites zone). One last note: setting the Privacy Settings
slider bar to "Block All Cookies" will disable the
"Per Site Privacy Actions" box (the "Edit"
button will be grayed out). You can still block all cookies in
the Internet zone and use the "Per Site Privacy Actions"
by choosing "Advanced..." and setting "block"
for both 1st-party and 3rd-party cookies in the "Advanced
Privacy Settings."
Windows Update
Windows Update is a service offered on Microsoft's web site
to help you keep your copy of Windows and other Microsoft software
like Internet Explorer and Office up-to-date with all the latest
bug fixes and security patches. It's a handy service, but it
requires several options that Enough is Enough! disables.
If you use Windows Update, here's what you can do to get it
working again after installing Enough is Enough!:
1. Add the *.microsoft.com domain to your Trusted sites zone.
You'll have to do this through the Internet Options box. See
the previous section ("Problem Web Sites") for specific
instructions on how to do it.
2. Enable "Install on Demand."
This option is on the "Advanced" tab in the Internet
Options box. Note that this option affects ALL web sites -- it
isn't specific to Security zones.
Windows Update should now work properly.
If it doesn't, try enabling "Third-party browser extensions"
on the "Advanced" tab. Also, try clearing your Temporary
Internet Files (Tools >> Internet Options... >> Delete
Files), and then closing and re-opening Internet Explorer. After
you visit Windows Update you ought to consider disabling these
same options until the next time you visit Windows Update (you
can keep the microsoft.com domain in your Trusted sites zone).
Browser Add-ons & Plug-ins
Enough is Enough! disables several options in Internet Explorer
that affect browser add-ons and plug-ins. First, it disables
the "Enable third-party browser extensions" option
on the "Advanced" tab, which may break plug-ins and
add-ons. Second, it disables both "Install on Demand"
options, also on the "Advanced" tab, which may prevent
you from installing add-ons and plug-ins directly from web sites.
If you use a browser plug-in or add-on that you simply can't
do without, then you can re-enable the "Enable third-party
browser extensions" option on the "Advanced" tab.
In some cases, though, you may have to re-install those browser
plug-ins and add-ons after you re-enable this option. I would
be wary of re-enabling the "Install on Demand" options,
except for very short periods of time to install specific add-ons
and plug-ins. Leaving these options enabled can let spyware and
foistware from shady web sites install automatically on your
system, often with very little notice or warning. It's like leaving
the front door to your house open all day long and expecting
no strange characters to walk right in. In other words, Install
on Demand is just plain dangerous.
Outlook Express & HTML Email
If you're in the habit of using Outlook Express to send HTML
email (as opposed to the default plain text email preferred and
used by most Internet users), then you may run into problems
after using Enough is Enough! In particular, when the setting
"Allow paste operations via script" is disabled for
the Internet zone, you may encounter errors when trying to insert
digital photos (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, etc.) into the body of your
HTML formatted emails. The solution is to enable "Allow
paste operations via script" in the Internet zone by setting
that option to "Prompt."
For More Information
For more information on Internet Explorer's Security zone
settings, see the Microsoft KB article:
Description of Internet Explorer Security Zones Registry Entries
(Q182569)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q182569
Note that the above KB article discusses Security zone settings
that are included IE 5 and and earlier. It does not discuss IE
6 specific settings (though IE 6 has many of the same settings).
Moreover, the cookie options it describes are for IE 5 only.
You also ought to have a look at this series of articles from
Windows IT Pro:
"Internet Explorer Security Options"
Part I: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=20468&DisplayTab=Article
Part II: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=20622&DisplayTab=Article
Part III: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=20700&DisplayTab=Article
Part IV: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=21026&DisplayTab=Article
Part V: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=21199&DisplayTab=Article
Part VI: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=21282&DisplayTab=Article
You can find links to still more information about web browser
security on this page:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/info3.htm
This page will point you to resources which discuss the problems
with ActiveX, Java, and scripting:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/info10c.htm
You can find one other take on secure settings for Internet
Explorer here:
http://www.markusjansson.net/eienbid.html
And for information about Internet Explorer 6.0's new Privacy
settings, which configure cookies in the Internet zone, see the
links on this page:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/info2.htm
You can find my other utilities for Internet Explorer 6.0
on this page:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource5.htm
If you'd like the complete IE Power Tweaks Web Accessories
package from Microsoft (of which the WebZone Accessory is but
one part), visit the following download page:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/previous/webaccess/default.mspx
I'd recommend uninstalling the WebZone Accessory (use option
3 from the Uninstallation menu) before installing the full IE
Power Tweaks Web Accessories package. If you don't, you'll wind
up with two very similar entries in your Add/Remove Programs
list.
Two aspects of Internet Explorer that may represent privacy
concerns but which Enough is Enough! doesn't configure are the
Profile Assistant and AutoComplete. Both are configurable from
within the Internet Options box:
* On the "Advanced" tab you have the following options:
- Enable Profile Assistant
- Use inline AutoComplete
* On the "Content" tab you will encounter these
options:
- AutoComplete...
Use AutoComplete for:
~ Web addresses
~ Forms
~ User names and passwords on forms
+ Prompt me to save passwords
~ Clear Forms
~ Clear Passwords
- My Profile...
Your Personal Profile is stored in the Address Book (accessible
from the Start menu), and you can delete it from there if you're
interested. You can also use one of these third-party utilities
to configure AutoComplete:
AutoWhat
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,4509,00.asp
Another feature of Internet Explorer that may concern you
is Browser Helper Objects (BHO's). Browser Helper Objects are
special add-ons for IE that allow other programs to piggyback
on and use Internet Explorer's functionality. BHO's have been
used by spyware/foistware pushers to customize Internet Explorer.
You can find a good article about BHO's by Dave Methvin at the
old WinMag web site:
IE Helpers That Don't Help!
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/fixes/2000/1013.htm
Utilities exist to help you monitor and uninstall BHO's that
may be on your system:
BHOCaptor
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/bho.html
BHODemon
http://www.wilders.org/downloads.htm
Finally, if Enough is Enough's IE settings are too strict
for your tastes, you might consider downloading and installing
IE-SPYAD. IE-SPYAD will add a long list of known advertisers,
marketers, and crapware pushers to your Restricted sites zone,
giving you a large measure of protection from the nastier elements
of the web while still allowing you to keep your Internet zone
settings fairly loose.
You can download IE-SPYAD here:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
Why Enough is Enough!
Why put together a batch file package that configures Internet
Explorer options? For the most part what Enough is Enough! does
isn't much different from what you can do yourself through the
Internet Options box in IE. The advantage here, of course, is
that with the installer you do it all in one go. One disadvantage
to this approach, however, is that by relying on a program like
Enough is Enough!, novice users may not learn all they could
or should about what their browser is doing. Ideally folks would
take the time to learn their PC's, their applications, and their
OS's. And I'm hoping that users of "Enough is Enough"
might be intrigued enough to take a look "under the hood"
and start investigating the settings that the installer modifies.
But all too many folks find IE's settings too confusing and intimidating.
In their view, computers ought to operate like any other consumer
appliance in the house -- and computers don't of course. Although
I agree that PC users ought to invest the effort to learn the
in's-and-out's of the programs they use on a daily basis, I finally
decided to make this program after several things occurred. First,
I'd spent a couple hours helping one of my students clean up
her computer, and there was the usual assortment of spyware and
marketing detritus on that box. That wasn't the first time I'd
had to clean up someone's box after it had been trashed by pushy
direct marketers. One box I recently saw was less than a year
old and had been reduced to a state of near non-functionality.
And that didn't happen because of any apps the owner had deliberately
installed or configuration changes she had knowingly made (she
didn't even realize she could change the desktop resolution/screen
area). Second, I was taken aback at the recent spate of news
articles about the alarming rise in obnoxious spyware pushers.
Curious, I decided to disable all my "defenses" one
afternoon and go surfing. What I encountered left me appalled.
It'd been a long time since I'd seen the Web as most folks see
it, and I simply wasn't prepared for what happened: popups beyond
belief, auto-installing toolbars and other browser add-ons, ActiveX
controls upon cookies upon JavaScript bombs. My system was quickly
mired in a swamp of crapware and popups. Now, I'd heard the horror
stories from users and seen the aftermath on people's computers,
but I hadn't seen all of this with my own eyes. (I guess I've
been living a kind of sheltered existence behind my strict IE
settings and AtGuard.) And I couldn't help but think: if people
are actually putting up with this (and most folks are), it has
to be because they either don't know what to do, or they're too
confused by the settings they confront when they try to do something
about it. Once I saw what folks were dealing with, I decided
to put together the utility. It was a spur of the moment decision.
I finished the initial version in a few hours and posted it the
same night. Over the next few days I tweaked it with the help
of several online forum participants. And my own experiences
on the web that one afternoon led directly to the name: "Enough
is enough!" Enough is Enough! isn't for everyone, but it's
a start. And maybe it'll help a few folks prevent their own PC's
from being hijacked and used against them.
Problems & Questions
I hope you find this utility helpful in your use of Windows
and Internet Explorer. If you run into serious problems with
this utility and you have made every attempt to address the problem
but remain stumped, I can be reached at:
eburger68@myrealbox.com
Please keep in mind that my busy schedule may not allow me
to respond immediately. I will attempt to get back to you, though,
and address your questions. Other helpful resources for getting
answers to questions about protecting you privacy in Internet
Explorer include the GRC Privacy & Security news groups,
which are generously hosted by Steve Gibson of Gibson Research
(GRC):
http://grc.com/discussions.htm
...and the DSLR Security forum:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/security,1
I've found the folks who hang out in these groups to be helpful,
knowledgeable, passionate, and more than wise to the wiles of
the marketing droids which infest the Net. Finally, you might
also check out my web site at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
a site which contains a bevy of links to information and software
relevant to Privacy & Security on the Internet:
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/
Credits & Acknowledgements
A special thanks to R2 (a frequent poster at the DSLR Security
forum) for his "Add to..Zone" buttons. They make Microsoft's
own PowerTweaks WebZone Accessory much more useful.
Date: 4/9/02, 4/11/02, 4/13/02, 5/28/02, 6/13/03
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/
Made By: Eric L. Howes (eburger68@myrealbox.com)
Copyright (c) 2000-2002 Eric L. Howes
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2,
or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed
in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
for more details. Some files distributed with this package may
not be covered by the GNU GPL. Those files remain the property
of their original owners and are covered by the licenses under
which they were originally distributed.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public
License along with this program; see the file COPYING. If not,
write to the Free Software Foundation, 59 Temple Place - Suite
330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
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