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I'm trying to find where in Regedit Windows stores the security settings available on 'Internet Options', specially the one at Miscellaneous > Display mixed content.

That's because i have an app that uses Internet Explorer and some of this settings cause problems , so i'd like to offer an option to auto-setup the options.

Thanks

2 Answers 2

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According to Microsoft, it's stored in HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\XXX

(where XXX is the current zone ID as mapped via ZoneMap)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/182569

In this key are several DWORD values given by a numeric ID. "Display mixed content" is value ID 1609.

Also according to that page:

Note: Unless stated otherwise, each DWORD value is equal to zero, one, or three. Typically, a setting of zero sets a specific action as permitted, a setting of one causes a prompt to appear, and a setting of three prohibits the specific action.

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Internet Explorer security zones registry entries for advanced users

Internet Explorer 5.0 and later versions of Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer security zones settings are stored under the following registry subkeys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings

These registry keys contain the following keys:

TemplatePolicies
ZoneMap
Zones

Note:

By default, security zones settings are stored in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry subtree. Because this subtree is dynamically loaded for each user, the settings for one user do not affect the settings for another.

If the Security Zones use only machine settings setting in Group Policy is enabled, or if the Security_HKLM_only DWORD value is present and has a value of 1 in the following registry subkey, only local computer settings are used and all users have the same security settings:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings

With the Security_HKLM_only policy enabled, HKLM values will be used by Internet Explorer. However, the HKCU values will still be displayed in the zone settings on the Security tab in Internet Explorer. In Internet Explorer 7, the Security tab of the Internet Options dialog box displays the following message to indicate that settings are managed by the system administrator:

Some settings are managed by your system administrator

If the Security Zones use only machine settings setting is not enabled in Group Policy, or if the Security_HKLM_only DWORD value does not exist or is set to 0, computer settings are used together with user settings. However, only user settings appear in the Internet Options.

For example, when this DWORD value does not exist or is set to 0, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE settings are read together with HKEY_CURRENT_USER settings, but only HKEY_CURRENT_USER settings appear in the Internet Options.

TemplatePolicies

The TemplatePolicies key determines the settings of the default security zone levels. These levels are Low, Medium Low, Medium, and High. You can change the security level settings from the default settings. However, you cannot add more security levels. The keys contain values that determine the setting for the security zone. Each key contains a Description string value and a Display Name string value that determine the text that appears on the Security tab for each security level.

ZoneMap

The ZoneMap key contains the following keys:

Domains
EscDomains
ProtocolDefaults
Ranges

The Domains key contains domains and protocols that have been added to change their behavior from the default behavior. When a domain is added, a key is added to the Domains key. Subdomains appear as keys under the domain where they belong. Each key that lists a domain contains a DWORD with a value name of the affected protocol. The value of the DWORD is the same as the numeric value of the security zone where the domain is added.

The EscDomains key resembles the Domains key except that the EscDomains key applies to those protocols that are affected by the Enhanced Security Configuration (ESC). ESC is introduced in Microsoft Windows Server 2003.

The ProtocolDefaults key specifies the default security zone that is used for a particular protocol (ftp, http, https). To change the default setting, you can either add a protocol to a security zone by clicking Add Sites on the Security tab, or you can add a DWORD value under the Domains key. The name of the DWORD value must match the protocol name, and it must not contain any colons (:) or slashes (/).

The ProtocolDefaults key also contains DWORD values that specify the default security zones where a protocol is used. You cannot use the controls on the Security tab to change these values. This setting is used when a particular Web site does not fall in a security zone.

The Ranges key contains ranges of TCP/IP addresses. Each TCP/IP range that you specify appears in an arbitrarily named key. This key contains a :Range string value that contains the specified TCP/IP range. For each protocol, a DWORD value is added that contains the numeric value of the security zone for the specified IP range.

When the Urlmon.dll file uses the MapUrlToZone public function to resolve a particular URL to a security zone, it uses one of the following methods:

  • If the URL contains a fully qualified domain name (FQDN), the Domains key is processed.

  • In this method, an exact site match overrides a random match. If the URL contains an IP address, the Ranges key is processed. The IP address of the URL is compared to the :Range value that is contained in the arbitrarily named keys under the Ranges key.

Note:

Because arbitrarily named keys are processed in the order that they were added to the registry, this method may find a random match before it finds a match. If this method does find a random match first, the URL may be executed in a different security zone than the zone where it is typically assigned. This behavior is by design.

Zones

Note:

By default, starting with Windows XP SP2, the Local Machine Zone is locked down to help improve security. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 922704 Information about some new Group Policy settings for Internet Explorer Security Zones in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 and in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 For more information, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/aebcfc94-25d5-4f41-93cc-7fb6e031de401033.mspx?mfr=true

The Zones key contains keys that represent each security zone that is defined for the computer. By default, the following five zones are defined (numbered zero through four):

   Value    Setting
   ------------------------------
   0        My Computer
   1        Local Intranet Zone
   2        Trusted sites Zone
   3        Internet Zone
   4        Restricted Sites Zone

Note:

By default, My Computer does not appear in the Zone box on the Security tab.

Each of these keys contains the following DWORD values that represent corresponding settings on the custom Security tab.

Note:

Unless stated otherwise, each DWORD value is equal to zero, one, or three. Typically, a setting of zero sets a specific action as permitted, a setting of one causes a prompt to appear, and a setting of three prohibits the specific action.

Value    Setting
1001     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Download signed ActiveX controls
1004     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Download unsigned ActiveX controls
1200     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins
1201     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe for scripting
1206     Miscellaneous: Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Web browser control ^
1207     Reserved #
1208     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allow previously unused ActiveX controls to run without prompt ^
1209     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allow Scriptlets
120A     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Override Per-Site (domain-based) ActiveX restrictions
120B     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Override Per-Site (domain-based) ActiveX restrictions
1400     Scripting: Active scripting
1402     Scripting: Scripting of Java applets
1405     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting
1406     Miscellaneous: Access data sources across domains
1407     Scripting: Allow Programmatic clipboard access
1408     Reserved #
1409     Scripting: Enable XSS Filter
1601     Miscellaneous: Submit non-encrypted form data
1604     Downloads: Font download
1605     Run Java #
1606     Miscellaneous: Userdata persistence ^
1607     Miscellaneous: Navigate sub-frames across different domains
1608     Miscellaneous: Allow META REFRESH * ^
1609     Miscellaneous: Display mixed content *
160A     Miscellaneous: Include local directory path when uploading files to a server ^
1800     Miscellaneous: Installation of desktop items
1802     Miscellaneous: Drag and drop or copy and paste files
1803     Downloads: File Download ^
1804     Miscellaneous: Launching programs and files in an IFRAME
1805     Launching programs and files in webview #
1806     Miscellaneous: Launching applications and unsafe files
1807     Reserved ** #
1808     Reserved ** #
1809     Miscellaneous: Use Pop-up Blocker ** ^
180A     Reserved # 
180B     Reserved #
180C     Reserved #
180D     Reserved #
180E     Allow OpenSearch queries in Windows Explorer #
180F     Allow previewing and custom thumbnails of OpenSearch query results in Windows Explorer #
1A00     User Authentication: Logon
1A02     Allow persistent cookies that are stored on your computer #
1A03     Allow per-session cookies (not stored) #
1A04     Miscellaneous: Don't prompt for client certificate selection when no 
                       certificates or only one certificate exists * ^
1A05     Allow 3rd party persistent cookies *
1A06     Allow 3rd party session cookies *
1A10     Privacy Settings *
1C00     Java permissions #
1E05     Miscellaneous: Software channel permissions
1F00     Reserved ** #
2000     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Binary and script behaviors
2001     .NET Framework-reliant components: Run components signed with Authenticode
2004     .NET Framework-reliant components: Run components not signed with Authenticode
2007     .NET Framework-Reliant Components: Permissions for Components with Manifests
2100     Miscellaneous: Open files based on content, not file extension ** ^
2101     Miscellaneous: Web sites in less privileged web content zone can navigate into this zone **
2102     Miscellaneous: Allow script initiated windows without size or position constraints ** ^
2103     Scripting: Allow status bar updates via script ^
2104     Miscellaneous: Allow websites to open windows without address or status bars ^
2105     Scripting: Allow websites to prompt for information using scripted windows ^
2200     Downloads: Automatic prompting for file downloads ** ^
2201     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Automatic prompting for ActiveX controls ** ^
2300     Miscellaneous: Allow web pages to use restricted protocols for active content **
2301     Miscellaneous: Use Phishing Filter ^
2400     .NET Framework: XAML browser applications
2401     .NET Framework: XPS documents
2402     .NET Framework: Loose XAML
2500     Turn on Protected Mode [Vista only setting] #
2600     Enable .NET Framework setup ^
2702     ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allow ActiveX Filtering
2708     Miscellaneous: Allow dragging of content between domains into the same window
2709     Miscellaneous: Allow dragging of content between domains into separate windows
270B     Miscellaneous: Render legacy filters
270C     ActiveX Controls and plug-ins: Run Antimalware software on ActiveX controls 


{AEBA21FA-782A-4A90-978D-B72164C80120}   First Party Cookie *
{A8A88C49-5EB2-4990-A1A2-0876022C854F}   Third Party Cookie *
  • * indicates an Internet Explorer 6 or later setting
  • ** indicates a Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later setting
  • # indicates a setting that is not displayed in the user interface in Internet Explorer
  • ^ indicates a setting that only has two options, enabled or disabled

Source Internet Explorer security zones registry entries for advanced users

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  • Hmm, this is a copy/paste of the link contents that I answered with a full 13 minutes before your answer. Congrats on winning the points, I guess.
    – psouza4
    Aug 13, 2015 at 18:21
  • 1
    @psouza4 Sorry, i did not notice you answered before, just changed the credit. Both were of great help, thanks ! Aug 13, 2015 at 18:23
  • 3
    @psouza4 We started at the same time. It takes longer to produce a comprehensive answer. Anyway I upvoted your answer ... ;)
    – DavidPostill
    Aug 13, 2015 at 18:45

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