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Using Internet Explorer. Secure?

T

ThirtySixBelow

Gawd
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
846
I'm working at the federal reserve bank and they are using Internet Explorer for their browser here. I've heard so much about how unsecure this browser is. Why would they use it? It's fairly crippled without any activeX and being blocked from sites like youtube and myspace, but can it really be secure? Also, I can't listen to internet radio and after using Opera 9 and then going to IE6 it's sooo bad. I tried to download firefox but it didn't work on the network. I'm stuck with this horrible browser that I cant do much on :( Basically, I'm just curious if this browser can be secure if you do it right, or if it's bad no matter what, and why anyone would choose this over firefox/opera?
 
One reason at least used to be that some intranet applications only rendered properly on IE. One place I worked had incident reporting software that worked this way, so we were forced to use it. Ultimatley I think IE can be secure, just takes more work.
 
Wow, this is a loaded question likely to encite flame wars...

IE can be secure. The default behavior isn't as secure as say FF or Opera. There's lots of info available if you search Google. You probably won't find 100% correct answer. At least I haven't. I have read articles stating this or that about various browsers. When it comes down to it, I see it as a battle agianst ignorance. I haven't had a virus in years even with the default settings. But, a lot of people don't know that clicking on the pop up that says "you have spyware and need to remove it" is bad thing to do. Some will says it is MS's fault because Windows/IE isn't secure by default. Others will say this or that. In the end, if we lived in a perfect world, IT guys wouldn't have a job.
 
ThirtySixBelow said:
Also, I can't listen to internet radio
Click to expand...

Then it seems they have it locked down properly :D

And to answer your question, security isn't just a matter of using a particular browser, it's an ongoing process where you look at ALL aspects of your network.

Quite a few places have very secure networks using IE, it's just a matter of locking down both the browser and the network.
 
Maybe they keep up with windows updates like most should? It's not that hard.

And blocking bad sites like mindlessSpace and others infested with adware.
 
ThirtySixBelow said:
I'm working at the federal reserve bank and they are using Internet Explorer for their browser here.
Click to expand...

I envy you, actually found a job for one of the Reserve Banks I'm going to apply for. I don't envy the fact that you have to use IE6. Since you're stuck with Internet Explorer, see if you can download and install IE7 beta 3. It really puts IE6 to shame. Where I'm at now requires IE but I was able to get IE7 on my machine, confused the IT guy that wanted to do some updates one day.
 
Cowcaster88 said:
Since you're stuck with Internet Explorer, see if you can download and install IE7 beta 3.
Click to expand...

And you see nothing wrong in installing beta software in a production environment ?

And people wonder why admins lock down their networks so tightly :rolleyes:
 
pigster said:
And you see nothing wrong in installing beta software in a production environment ?

And people wonder why admins lock down their networks so tightly :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I agree 100% installing beta stuff has no place in a production environment, we admin's lock it down so you cant ;)
Want to do that... do it at home not on a work machine ;)
 
-(Xyphox)- said:
I agree 100% installing beta stuff has no place in a production environment, we admin's lock it down so you cant ;)
Want to do that... do it at home not on a work machine ;)
Click to expand...
While I do agree, I have found at least two examples that are contrary: VMware Server Beta and Windows Defender.
 
MorfiusX said:
While I do agree, I have found at least two examples that are contrary: VMware Server Beta and Windows Defender.
Click to expand...

Good Point, there are some decent beta stuff, but most should not be tested at work....
 
I just find it interresting that you can lock down such specific things. I can browse the internet, but it seems to know how to catch everything that's bad. I also like how no other browsers work. Is this all firewall rules, or what? How can it know to not let anything but IE connect to the internet?
 
Do they use a proxy server? If you don't have that set in your new broswer, nothing will work.
 
I experience the same at my work. We have hundreds of intranet applications that require IE to function properly. IE is locked down real tight and I have no issues using it to do my work. I'm a die hard Firefox fan, so I had to try it and came to the same result as you.

When architects, engineers, and administrators design and implement security in many layers from the user (you) all the way out to the WAN, IE can be pretty safe and secure to use.
 
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