Locking down IE on public computers

[Thomas Edelblute]

Warning: Technical content follows.

Microsoft Group Policy objects are available but need some experimenting with to see what is the best way to work with them.  Most of the ones that I use are under User Configuration, Administrative Tools, Windows Components, Internet Explorer.  However, the proxy server settings are under User Configuration, Windows Settings, Internet Explorer Connections.  When you highlight a policy, on the left side it will tell you what the policy effects and how it is used.

Here is a Microsoft Technet overview http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782876(WS.10).aspx

One thing to keep in mind is that for some of these settings will make registry changes to the computers you apply it to.  So if you enable something, and change your mind, returning it to the previously set "Not Configured" setting will not undo the change.  You will have to change from enabled to disabled to write the new changes to the registry.  Sometimes that is not clear to people who are starting out with Group Policy objects.

You can also make different group policies for different functions and link them to some groups and not others.  Then you can stack multiple Group Policy objects on a single group of users or computers, but Microsoft recommends that you do not do more than eight Group Policy Objects on a single organizational unit.

So I may have overdone it for this introductory e-mail, but let me know if I can help you in any way.

Thomas Edelblute
Public Access Systems Coordinator
Anaheim Public Library

From: Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Marcie Brandriff
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 12:57 PM
To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Locking down IE on public computers

We are using Public Web Browser but are looking to switch to Internet Explorer. However, we need a way to lock down certain functions so patrons can't make too many changes to it. Any suggestions for either hiding the menus or locking down the Tools menu and maybe Favorites and also disabling the ability to download and install toolbars?

We do have Fortres, but they don't lock down anything inside the browser. The IT guy there suggested using Microsoft Policies, but I'm having a hard time searching the Microsoft website because there's so much information there and I don't really know what I'm looking for. Any suggestions here would be helpful as well.

Thanks!
Marcie Brandriff

Librarian

Northborough Free Library

34 Main Street

Northborough, MA 01532

508-393-5025

mbrandriff2 at cwmars.org<mailto:mbrandriff2 at cwmars.org>
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