There's no denying that the Internet has changed the way we live our lives. We work, shop, and communicate online on a daily basis. However, as helpful as the Internet is, it has its share of problems. Viruses and information theft are troubling, and constant ad pop-ups are annoying. Browsing the Web can be time-consuming as well. Sure, broadband connections greatly improve upon the dial-up experience, but even broadband can be painfully slow at times. A product from Winferno Software called Secure IE claims to change all that. Let's take a closer look at Secure IE and its features so that you can see whether the product is a good fit for high-security workstations and/or standard end-user desktops. Secure IE features
A key security feature of Secure IE is the ability to use security zones to block things such as Java, ActiveX, cookies, and file downloads on all but the most trusted sites. The product blocks Flash animations and pop-ups, so you don't have to sit through any more pop-up commercials with loud music and blinding animations. It also works with your existing antivirus software to intercept and scan any downloaded files for viruses. The software claims that it accelerates Web browsing by tuning your browser for dial-up or broadband usage, and that it can speed up your Web experience by up to 500 percent by using 10 simultaneous sockets instead of the standard two. The software can also preserve bandwidth since it blocks pop-ups and Flash animations. Some of Secure IE's best capabilities are its bonus features, although their importance is downplayed in comparison to the speed and security benefits. For example, you can use sticky notes and highlighters to mark up a Web page and then save that page as a document, even if the page was secure. You can also create workspaces that allow you to open and browse dozens of Web pages simultaneously with a single command. Installation
Secure IE requires Internet Explorer 6, which you can acquire from Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web site. Download the Secure IE installer program from the company's Web site. This 3.78-MB download requires you to purchase a license for $29.95 (site licenses are also available). If you want to evaluate the product before coughing up the cash, you can download a 15-day free trial version from the free trial section of the Web site. Launch the Installation Wizard by double-clicking the executable file you downloaded. Click Next to advance past the Welcome screen, and you'll see the software's End-User License Agreement. Click Yes to accept the license agreement, and the installer will prompt you for the program's installation path. After choosing an installation path, you need to select the Start menu program group that you want Secure IE included in. At this point, the installation program will prompt you about the types of icons and file associations to use. I recommend accepting the defaults. When you finish, click Next. The wizard will display a summary of the installation options you've chosen. Click the Install button to accept these options and begin the file-copy process. When the installer finishes copying the necessary files, click Finish to complete the process. The initial setup
After the installation completes, select the Secure IE command from the Start menu. You'll see a dialog box that asks for some basic information, such as your name, e-mail address, company name, and license number. All of this information must be entered precisely or your registration will be rejected. Once you've entered the necessary information, a rather annoying pop-up appears asking how you heard about Secure IE. The pop-up also contains a check box you must uncheck to avoid being sent e-mails with special offers and product announcements from the company. Once you've jumped through these hoops, Secure IE will load. You're finally ready to start using it.