Barb's Connected World » Security

Fixed: IE9 “Only Secure Content is Displayed” warning

barbbowman — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:45:43 +0000

For a very long time, it seemed as through every site I visited with IE9 created an annoying prompt about secure content and encourage me to show all content. I’ve seen fixes that involve lowering your security etc., but never thought THAT was worth the risk. I had an “Ah HA!” moment while troubleshooting a similar annoyance with a wordpress plugin. It turns out that this issue occurs if you are logged into Facebook using https (and you should be using https) and have elected to always stay logged in that since nearly every site in the world has a Facebook Like button or some tie in to Facebook.

My solution? (Edited 8/9/2011) Stay logged into Facebook with Firefox, but NOT with IE. And strictly use Firefox for Facebook. (And note that this warning does not happen when I use Firefox to browse other sites while still logged into Facebook because Firefox is displaying mixed content by default.). Microsoft has other solutions posted, but they involve allowing mixed content to kill the prompt, or not allowing it ever (which kills the prompt) and even adding Facebook’s https site to the trusted zone. I prefer to use IE for financial sites and keep prompts and elect to only display secure content. And I am not by any means advocating dumping IE9.

I’m almost always running at least two browsers, but I just had not figured out what was causing OE to behave this way. There may be similar situations with other Facebook type sites or plugins, but with Facebook being by far the most widespread, my solution solves 99% of the problem for me. Now I know, and if you didn’t know this before, I hope this is helpful.

Defy Hackers with Routers with Captcha

Barb — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:37:56 +0000

D-Link has once again one-upped the wannabe hacker community by adding a feature that will make it a whole lot harder for the script kiddies to break into your router programmatically.

The current crop of Extreme N routers now have updates available that add CAPTCHA to the login page.

You can’t be too secure.. Right?

Infected job search sites lead to identity theft for 1.6M

Barb — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 21:24:20 +0000

Computer World is reporting that job search sites, including the highly trafficked Monster.com may have compromised visitors who click on malicious ads. Yesterday the report was 40K+ users, now it’s 1.6 million.

Technorati tags: security, ID theft, malware

BBC’s Panorama Investigative Show Thinks WiFi is Unsafe

Barb — Fri, 25 May 2007 20:04:15 +0000

The basis for all of this nonsensical conclusion is apparently some unsubstantiated leap between mobile phone technology and equipment and a theorized similarity to WiFi equipment. Say what?

Someone at Panorama is WiFi phobic. My long standing opinion of the BBC as being grounded in meticulous research and analysis has crashed and there are no survivors.

Technorati tags: WiFi, 802.11, Wireless Networking, Technology

WPA hack for the MN-740 game adapter

Barb — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 21:08:13 +0000

I’ve been struggling with whether or not to post the link to the information that enables you to add WPA to a Microsoft MN-740 game adapter by turning it into an unsupportable quasi D-Link DGL-3420.

As a Microsoft MVP I pursued every channel available to me for an extended period to attempt to convince MS to do the work (or contract it out) to upgrade this device to WPA-PSK. It would not have taken a huge amount of work or effort.

As a near militant proponent of WPA to replace laughable WEP encryption, I’ve decided to post the link to the information.

Here are the disclaimers:

1. I don’t condone this hack

2. You will void your warranty

3. Microsoft won’t support you

4. I won’t support you

5. You could brick your device and have to throw it out (if you do, buy the real D-Link DGL-3420, it’s awesome)

6. Reverse engineering is illegal according to many EULA’s

7. It may not work

8. Anything else I can’t think of at the moment

9. I’m not taking responsibility

If you read this far, here’s the link http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13360873