Today, if not everyone, then certainly the vast majority of users of modern computer systems know, or at least have heard, about the concept of ActiveX. We’ll try to figure out what it is and what such technologies are used for. Let's look at the most basic aspects, without going too much into technical issues.
ActiveX: what is it? The simplest concepts
In order not to burden the unprepared user with unnecessary technical terms, we will consider ActiveX technologies in a way that is understandable to everyone. In fact, ActiveX elements are small programs from which a programmer or website creator can create many interesting designs as blocks.
Initially, it was believed that such elements (also called add-ons) were used exclusively to add many additional capabilities to certain World Wide Web resources and were supported only by the “native” Windows browser called Internet Explorer (using programs in different languages in one browser, regardless of the development environment).
This is partly true. However, now many other control elements can also be classified as ActiveX technologies. What is this? The simplest example is an add-on in the form of a Flash player from the Macromedia corporation, which was at the forefront of its creation.
Today, this is the most common Adobe ActiveX Player plugin, or rather Adobe Flash Player, which can be integrated into almost all browsers known today. In addition to the Adobe corporation, which took the baton from Macromedia, there are many more developers of similar plug-ins, but their products, in comparison with this unique player, cannot be compared to any comparison, and therefore are simply unclaimed.
However, it is very difficult to call such elements programs in the usual sense, because it is simply impossible to launch them in the classical way (double-click). Their built-in codes are executed precisely in Internet browser environments.
The main area of use of ActiveX controls (Windows 7, 8, etc.)
To make it clearer, let's consider several main aspects of the use of such technologies. For example, they allow, as mentioned earlier, to integrate audio or video players into the site. In other words, you can listen to music or watch a video directly on the site.
Please note that, as a rule, the program itself with the shell is not shown on the resource. Instead, it either redirects the audio to the computer system's audio system or opens a special window to view the video. It turns out that the element itself (add-on) works as if hidden from the eyes of the user or site visitor.
The same goes for online games. Here, the Framework platform (4th or any other version) plays one of the key roles. Here it must be said that the .NET Framework is a unique development by Microsoft Corporation. However, Adobe ActiveX technologies in this case complement the main platform and are responsible for opening or playing multimedia elements. This combination allows you to use various elements that were originally written in different Delphi, Visual Basic, etc.).
In addition, the presence of the same element “Framework 4” (or higher - 4.5) is a prerequisite for the operation of many structural or control elements of sites, even in offline mode.
Difference between Java applets and ActiveX controls
Many people mistakenly classify Java applets as ActiveX controls. Yes, indeed, they are very similar, but there is one main difference.
The fact is that designs created using the Java language work on any platform and in any operating system, while ActiveX has a narrow focus exclusively on Microsoft software products.
Carefully! Viruses!
Unfortunately, nowadays you can find a lot of viruses on the Internet masquerading as elements such as Adobe Flash ActiveX. In this regard (since each element is downloaded directly to the browser and therefore to the computer when used), it is recommended to take into account some security measures.
The fact is that most users never really read messages about the offer to download and use this or that element and simply agree by clicking the “OK” button. This is fraught with consequences.
Separately, it is worth saying that in most cases, even standard antiviruses or Internet defenders are not always able to recognize such threats. So the installation of the same plugins in the form of Flash ActiveX should be done from official sources, roughly speaking, from the developer’s website, which guarantees complete safety in using this or that add-on.
Enable or disable ActiveX in Internet Explorer
Now a few words about how to properly configure the use of such add-ons in the Internet Explorer browser.
First you need to call the menu from the Control Panel or the service section in the browser itself, and then go to the security settings. At the bottom there is a button for the “Other” security level. Clicking on it takes us to the ActiveX settings menu.
In order not to catch any infection from the Internet, God forbid, you need to disable the loading of unsigned items and the use of elements marked as unsafe. Ideally, you should enable the item loading mode at the “Suggest” level.
General Security Settings
Don't forget about one more means of protection. This is a firewall, also called a firewall. As expected, it also has its own default security settings, however, for example, fans of online games can add some executable plugins to the so-called exclusion list. Again, only subject to complete and absolute confidence in their safety, as well as the absence of viruses on the sites from which they are downloaded.
And disabling the firewall, as some developers recommend doing for the correct operation of a particular online application or game, is not recommended at all. Otherwise, many people complain that there is a conflict between the application and the firewall. If you turn it off, the consequences cannot be avoided. In this case, no proactive protection from the antivirus will help.
Using ActiveX technologies in other browsers
The time when such add-ons were designed only for Internet Explorer is gone forever. Judge for yourself, because today Adobe ActiveX technology in the form of a Flash player is used in almost all browsers and is even, so to speak, an integral part of them.
Without this, it is impossible to imagine using the full capabilities of any Internet resource, be it music, video, three-dimensional graphics, games, online programs, etc.
However, if you look at it, by and large, of all the ActiveX elements and downloadable plugins known today, it seems the most appropriate to use only the Flash player, since almost all other add-ons and elements, to put it mildly, are either simply unnecessary or raise quite a lot of doubts about them security. After all, if you give permission to install a dubious element in your browser, you can only achieve that a security hole will immediately appear, and it is this hole that will be exploited by worms, malicious codes or spyware.
And the saddest thing is that most browsers do not even have settings for managing ActiveX controls, and the Windows settings used have absolutely nothing to do with third-party browsers. In other words, they do not apply to browsers.
Conclusion
So we briefly looked at the topic “ActiveX: what is it?” I would like to hope that the above material explained at least a little the principle of operation and use of such add-ons. Apparently, it is now not difficult to guess how careful you need to be with these technologies, otherwise, never mind, the consequences for the entire computer system can be the most disastrous. In the case of Internet Explorer, it is better to use security modes above average (or even maximum), but in browsers from other developers you will have to think a hundred times before agreeing to install and use the elements offered by the site. The point is not only the potential threat, but also the fact that installing completely unnecessary plugins and controls, as a rule, affects the performance of the browser itself, and not for the better.
