Event 1026 - ActiveX Blocking
Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Vista
Microsoft® ActiveX® controls are reusable software components based on Microsoft ActiveX technology. ActiveX controls add interactivity and additional functionality, such as animations or shortcut menus to a Web page, application, or software-development tool. Windows® Internet Explorer® 8, Windows Internet Explorer 7, and Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) block controls that are unsigned, invalid, or explicitly distrusted by the user. In Internet Explorer 8, users can allow controls to run on more than one Web site, or all Web sites, by responding to the Information Bar that appears when a control is requested for use. These sites can also be edited through the Manage Add-ons tool.
This feature, ActiveX Opt-in, automatically disables the controls on a user's machine. When the user encounters a Web page with a disabled ActiveX control, they will see an Information Bar that prompts the user to run the control.
Some ActiveX controls will not be disabled by ActiveX Opt-in. They are:
Controls that are commonly used, known to be security-enabled, or that appear on a preapproved list provided by Microsoft.
Controls that were used in previous versions of Internet Explorer.
Some ActiveX controls will automatically prompt the user if:
The first run of the control requires approval.
The control requires approval on a per-site basis.
The control must be installed to the local computer.
The installation process for the control failed, or was blocked by a security feature.
When Is This Event Logged?
Logging will occur any time that Internet Explorer disables a control by using the ActiveX Opt-in feature.
Note
For more information and examples, see the Event 1026-ActiveX Blocking topic from Internet Explorer Application Compatibility.
Remediation
You may configure Internet Explorer to install ActiveX controls automatically, bypassing any prompting in the Information Bar.
To automatically download ActiveX controls
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
Click the Security tab.
Select a zone (Internet, Local Intranet, and so on.)
Click the Custom Level button.
Enable the following options from the ActiveX controls and plug-ins section.
Download signed ActiveX controls
Download unsigned ActiveX controls
A security warning will still appear to the user before installing the control, but the prompt will not appear.
Note
This will only work if the control has not previously been installed. If the control has been installed previously, the per-domain Information Bar will appear, prompting the user to install the control. If the control is pre-approved, it appears on the pre-approved list and Internet Explorer will assume that the control is allowed on every site by default.
What Happens If I Disable This Security Feature?
If you disable this security feature, the user can download and install unsigned, invalid, or explicitly distrusted controls. Disabling this feature should only be used as a temporary measure during troubleshooting, to compare the behavior of the application when the feature is enabled and when it is disabled. It is not recommended that this feature be left disabled on an on-going basis.