Quick Help for slowing down website and e-mail viruses:
This will also prevent most annoying pop-up ads
from reaching your system.

To make Outlook Express safe from all virus attempts do this:

  1. Open Internet Explorer. On the upper menu bars open "Tools" (older versions use options)
  2. Go to "Internet Options" then "Security"
  3. Click on "Restricted Zone"
  4. Click on "Custom Level" and DISABLE EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING!! 
    Just setting it to "High" is not enough.
  5. Click "OK" as much as you need to on the way out.
  6. When IE asks if you are sure, click "YES".
  7. Now Open Outlook Express. On the upper menu bars open "Tools" 
  8. Go to "Options" then "Security"
  9. Place a dot in "Restricted Zone"
  10. Click "OK" as many times as you need to on your way out.

To disable active Scripting in the "Internet Zone"

  1. Open Internet Explorer. On the upper menu bars open "Tools" (older versions use options)
  2. Go to "Internet Options" then "Security"
  3. Click on "Internet Zone"
  4. Click on "Custom Level"
  5. Disable all active scripting or check "prompt" if you want to be annoyed by every script embedded in every website or e-mail.
  6. If you so choose, you can disable cookies and all other functions in this open window. be aware that for some reason, this disables ALL COOKIES, even in trusted sites. I don't know why. IE6 has it's own cookie settings so this tip should only affect IE 5.5 and older.
  7. If you have Microsoft JAVA VM activated, set it to "HIGH" security (this is recommended as this will stop any  e-mail from opening applets without your knowledge)
  8. Make sure you disable "Installation of Desktop Items"
  9. When IE asks if you are sure, click "YES".
  10. Close all open IE windows and re-start Internet Explorer (you don't need to shut down, just close all open IE windows ).

If you would like to use any sites that have active scripting on them, you can enable them if you trust the site not to infect your computer. That choice is yours, but sites like Microsoft, eBay, This web site, etc. are safe. Never activate any AOL sites as then they will all be activated. Most viruses are funneled through AOL first as they have the most customers, and the worst security (even though they deny that). 90% of the SPAM we get comes through AOL at some point in the process. We're not blaming them for it, but they need to do a little (more like a lot) better on their security. 

How to enable scripting on "Trusted Sites" without installing IE Power Tweaks

  1. Open Internet Explorer. On the upper menu bars open "Tools" (older versions use options)
  2. Go to "Internet Options" then "Security"
  3. Click on "Trusted Zone"
  4. Click on "Custom Level" and enable everything you would like to work on your trusted sites.
  5. To add sites to your Trusted Sites Folder Click on "Trusted Sites" in the upper menu window.
  6. Click on "Sites" in the lower window
  7. Type or cut and paste the trusted site in the dialogue box (make sure the box at the bottom is NOT checked or you'll get an error message unless it's a secure site starting with https://) and click "ADD" then "OK" and then "OK" again. An easier way is to download Web Accessories and Power Tweaks below. These are safe, they are add-ons from Microsoft, not hackers.
  8. You can add wild-carding if you want to add the entire site to trusted sites (for example, adding *.oz-web.net would add any subdomains as well such as subdomain1.oz-web.net [we don't use subdomains, but other sites do]), but be careful with this especially with major free hosting sites like Tripod, Geocities, etc. If you add all of Tripod for example, you might as well just undo all of your security settings. While most Tripod home pages are safe, there may be a few with bad intentions in there. If you enable all of them, you open yourself up to a virus attack. The same goes for all of the major free hosting sites and AOL too.
  9. When IE asks if you are sure, click "YES".
  10. If you come across a site you wish to put in your trusted sites folder because you need to use a script on their page, simply add it following steps 1-7 and then just refresh the page when you are done. The scripts will now work on that site. Sometimes it gets a little tricky as frames can screw things up for you and some sites call scripts from an off-site link. It still beats getting a virus though.

    If you need help setting this up
    And I will try to explain it further if I can.

Add custom features to Internet Explorer here:

To install these. Click on either link, then choose "Open"
The files will extract, then install. You will not notice a change until you restart Internet Explorer.

Web Accessories | Power Tweaks

What these files do:

Web Accessories:
Dreamed up by Microsoft's own development team, 
this kit contains eight utilities that let you zoom in and out on any image, 
highlight text, do custom searches, and much, much more.

Power Tweaks:
This pack of Web Accessories is designed to make your life easier.
It adds an Offline/Online button to your toolbar that's especially useful for notebook computer users.
Restriction commands right in the tools menu help you set sites as trusted or restricted without
having to wade through the menus to find the controls. 
Finally, with a right click of the mouse you can copy a URL right into the clipboard
so you can paste locations in e-mail or any document.
These add-ons are not officially supported by Microsoft,
although some of their features have been added to IE updates and the MSN tool bar.