Details

This policy setting allows you to manage whether Internet Explorer will launch COM add-ons, known as browser helper objects such as toolbars. Browser helper objects may contain flaws such as buffer overruns which impact Internet Explorer’s performance or stability. If you enable this policy setting, Internet Explorer automatically launches any browser helper objects that are installed on the user’s computer. If you disable this policy setting, browser helper objects do not launch. If you do not configure this policy, Internet Explorer automatically launches any browser helper objects that are installed on the user’s computer.

Solution

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> Internet Control Panel -> Advanced Page -> ‘Allow third-party browser extensions’ to ‘Disabled’.

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_Microsoft_IE9_V1R15_STIG.zip

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Configuration Management.This control applies to the following type of system Windows.

References

• 800-53|CM-7(4)(b)
• CAT|II
• Rule-ID|SV-40628r2_rule
• STIG-ID|DTBI355
• Vuln-ID|V-15500

Source

• Tenable.com/audits