14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft announced in September that Internet Explorer would start blocking outdated Java versions, and an update released this month as part of the Patch Tuesday cycle comes to add a new layer of security to machines running the company’s in-house browser.
Starting this month, Internet Explorer will block outdated version of Silverlight, thus trying to prevent vulnerable content that could be harmful to computers from reaching the client PC.
As was the case of Java blocking features, the new update will be based on a Microsoft-hosted HML list that includes all websites containing outdated Silverlight plug-ins. Once you visit a website included on this list, the browser automatically blocks the plug-in from loading and displays a message reading, “Silverlight was blocked because it is out of date and needs to be updated.”
Two options will be offered to update or “run this time,” but the latter isn’t obviously recommended as it could be an open door for malicious content to reach your computer.
This feature is available for all Internet Explorer versions that are still getting updates from Microsoft, but the best recommendation is obviously to switch to the latest releases. Windows 8 currently comes with Internet Explorer 10, while Windows 8.1 includes by default the new Internet Explorer 11.
Windows 7 can run both IE10 and IE11, while Windows 8 cannot be updated to IE11, so depending on your operating system, make sure that you’re running the latest browser version on your computer for better security.
