Editor's Note: More ways to protect and control with Internet Explorer 10

By Mitch Irsfeld

Internet Explorer 10 may be the reimagined browser for Windows 8 but it also comes with a host of administrative and security features for IT professionals to customize and manage the browsing experience.  In this TechNet feature package, we explore the new features and tools in Internet Explorer 10 that make it easier to plan, deliver, manage and support in an enterprise environment.

Since, Internet Explorer 10 and Windows 8 were built in lockstep, and Windows 8 offers two user experiences (either the tiled Start Screen style or the desktop style), there are two browser experiences. Internet Explorer 10 is the default browser for the Windows 8 touch-first, immersive experiences. Internet Explorer 10 for the desktop provides a more traditional window and tab management experience. The underlying platform of Internet Explorer 10 is fully interoperable across both.

By default, Internet Explorer 10 opens links using the style of Internet Explorer that matches the environment you were in when you followed the link. But Internet Explorer 10 gives users and administrators the option of controlling which browsing experience to launch. The default behavior can be changed using the Settings charm in Internet Explorer 10 or the Programs tab of the Internet Options dialogue box in Internet Explorer 10 for the desktop environment.

The best way to see this administrative option in action is to try Windows 8 with Internet Explorer 10 in the 90-day free evaluation.

Security

Like all releases of Internet Explorer, Internet Explorer 10 includes security enhancements. And a key feature in this release is the Enhanced Protected Mode, which prevents attackers from installing software or modifying system settings, even if they are able to exploit a particular vulnerability. This extra layer of protection restricts the browser from accessing parts of the system that it doesn’t normally need to use–like locations that contain personal information–unless permission is granted. Administrators can also use the Group Policy setting to control how Enhance Protected Mode is used in their organization.

Speaking of Group Policy, Internet Explorer 10 provides nearly 1,500 Group Policy settings that IT pros can use to manage and control the web browser configuration and adds new Group Policy settings to support new features, including settings that govern access to settings on the Internet Options dialog box, define security zones, and add or remove websites in a security zone.

New Tools

Internet Explorer 10 includes updated tools used to configure the out-of-box experience for users, deploy, manage user settings, and support the browsers in an enterprise. IT pros can use the Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) 10 to create custom, branded versions of Internet Explorer 10 for computers running the Windows 8 or the Windows Server 2012. IEAK 10 allows administrators to:

• Establish version control across your organization
• Centrally distribute and manage browser installations
• Configure automatic connection profiles for users' machines
• Customize virtually any aspect of Windows Internet Explorer, including features, security, communications settings, and other important elements

Internet Explorer Administration Kit 10 is available for free download. For more on how to customize Internet Explorer 10, see Customization Options for Specific Audiences in the TechNet Library.

If you are concerned about compatibility issues with your older web applications, the Mitigation and Application Compatibility article guidance for creating a plan to migrate your legacy web applications to Internet Explorer 10.

Thanks for reading,

Mitch

Mitch Irsfeld*, Editor of TechNet, is a veteran computer industry journalist and content developer who managed editorial staffs at several leading publications, includingInformationWeek, InternetWeek and CommunicationsWeek. He is also an editor for TechNet Magazine and managing editor of the TechNet Flash newsletter.*