How to Add or Remove Sites in Internet Explorer Security Zones
Information
Zone security is a system that enables you to divide online content into categories, or zones. You can add or remove websites from the zones, depending on your level of trust in a website.
This article will show you how to add or remove website URL addresses in the Internet, Local Intranet, Trusted sites, and Restricted sites Internet Explorer security zones.
Note
Internet zone
You will not be able to add or remove sites in the “Internet” zone. The Internet zone includes all sites on the internet that are not in the Trusted sites or Restricted sites zones.
Local intranet zone
The Local intranet zone includes all sites inside an organization’s firewall (for computers connected to a local network). By default, the Local Intranet zone contains all network connections that were established by using a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path, and Web sites that bypass the proxy server or have names that do not include periods (for example, http://local), as long as they are not assigned to either the Restricted Sites or Trusted Sites zone. The default security level for the Local Intranet zone is set to Medium-low. Be aware that when you access a local area network (LAN) or an intranet share, or an intranet Web site by using an Internet Protocol (IP) address or by using a fully qualified domain name (FQDN), the share or Web site is identified as being in the Internet zone instead of in the Local intranet zone. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
303650 Intranet site is identified as an Internet site when you use an FQDN or an IP address
Trusted sites zone
The Trusted sites zone can include all Internet sites that you know are trusted. For example, the Trusted sites zone might contain websites that are on your organization’s intranet or that come from established companies in whom you have confidence. When you add a website to the Trusted Sites zone, you believe that files you download or that you run from the website will not damage your computer or data. By default, there are no websites that are assigned to the Trusted Sites zone, and the security level is set to Medium.
Restricted sites zone
The Restricted sites zone can include all sites that you do not trust. When you add a website to the Restricted Sites zone, you believe that files that you download or run from the website may damage your computer or your data. By default, there are no websites that are assigned to the Restricted Sites zone, and the security level is set to High.
Here’s How:
1. Open the Control Panel (Classic View (Vista) or Icons View (Windows 7)).
A) Click on the Internet Options icon.
B) Go to step 3.
OR
2. Open Internet Explorer.
A) Click on Tools (Menu bar) or gear icon (in IE9), click on Internet Options, and click on the Security tab.
3. For the Internet Zone
A) You will not be able to add or remove sites in the Internet zone since it automatically includes all sites on the internet that are not in the Trusted sites or Restricted sites zones.
B) Go to step 7.
4. To Add or Remove Sites for the Local intranet Zone
A) Select Local intranet, and click on the Sites button. (see screenshot below)
B) Check what settings (automatically detect or specifics) to define which websites are included in the local intranet zone, then click on the Advanced button. (see screenshots below)
NOTE:
The default setting is Automatically detect intranet network.
Include all local (intranet) sites not listed in other zones. Intranet sites, such as http://local, have names that do not include dots. In contrast, a site name that does contain dots, such as Microsoft Corporation, is not local. This site would be assigned to the Internet zone. The intranet site name rule applies to File URLs as well as HTTP URLs.
Include all sites that bypass the proxy server. Typical intranet configurations use a proxy server to gain access to the Internet but have a direct connection to intranet servers. The setting uses this kind of configuration information to distinguish intranet from Internet content. If your proxy server is configured otherwise, you should clear this check box and then use other means to designate the Local intranet zone membership. For systems without a proxy server, this setting has no effect.
Include all network paths (UNCs). Network paths (for example, \\servername\sharename\file.txt) are typically used for local network content that should be included in the Local intranet zone. If some of your network paths should not be in the Local intranet zone, clear this check box and then use other means to designate the Local intranet zone membership. In certain Common Internet File System (CIFS) configurations, for example, it is possible for a network path to reference Internet content.
C) To Add a Website to Internet Zone
Check (only add https: websites) or uncheck (add any website) the Require server verification (https for all sites in the zone option for what you want websites you want added.
Type in the website address and click on Add. (see screenshot below)
D) To Remove a Website from Internet Zone
Under Websites, select a added website and click on Remove. Repeat to remove additional websites. (see screenshot below)
E) When finished, click on Close. (see screenshots below steps 4C and 4D)
F) Click on OK. (see screenshots under step 4B)
G) Go to step 7.
5. To Add or Remove Sites for the Trusted Sites Zone
A) Select Trusted Sites, and click on the Sites button. (see screenshot below)
B) To Add a Website to Trusted Sites Zone
Check (only add https: websites) or uncheck (add any website) the Require server verification (https: ) for all sites in the zone option for what you want websites you want added.
Type in the website address and click on Add. Repeat to add additional websites. (see screenshot below)
C) To Remove a Website from Trusted Sites Zone
Under Websites, select a added website and click on Remove. Repeat to remove additional websites. (see screenshot below)
E) When finished, click on Close. (see screenshots below steps 5B and 5C)
F) Go to step 7.
6. To Add or Remove Sites for the Restricted Sites Zone
A) Select Restricted Sites, and click on the Sites button. (see screenshot below)
B) To Add a Website to Restricted Sites Zone
Type in the website address and click on Add. Repeat to add additional websites. (see screenshot below)
C) To Remove a Website from Restricted Sites Zone
Under Websites, select a added website and click on Remove. Repeat to remove additional websites. (see screenshot below)
D) When finished, click on Close. (see screenshots below steps 6B and 6C)
7. Do steps 4, 5, or 6 above if there are any other security zone that you would like to add or remove sites from.
8. When finished, click on OK. (see screenshot below steps 3A, 4A, 5A, or 6A)
