You configure Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 to use a proxy autoconfiguration (.pac) script. If you then access the URLs that are included in the exception list, the URLs may be identified as being in the Internet zone instead of as being in the local intranet zone.
This problem occurs when you use one of the following methods to start Internet Explorer:
- You visit Web sites directly from the shortcuts or from the hyperlinks in e-mail messages.
- You access the URLs on the network for the first time from the HTML files that are stored in the local disk.
This problem occurs because Internet Explorer (Iexplore.exe) starts to process the .pac script when it first connects to the network from the client computer.
If the security zone of the target URL is identified after the exception list of the .pac script is read, the Web site is displayed as being in the local intranet zone. Conversely, if the target URL is accessed before the exception list is read, the Web site is identified as being in the Internet zone.
Therefore, depending on the timing, the .pac script may incorrectly identify a URL as being in the Internet zone instead of as being in the local intranet zone.
To work around this problem, use one of the following methods to register a specific Web site.
Method 1: Add a site to "Internet Options" in Internet Explorer
In Internet Explorer, register Web sites individually in the local intranet zone. To do this, follow these steps:
- Start Internet Explorer.
- In the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
- On the Security tab, click Local intranet, and then click Sites.
- Click Advanced, and then type *.domain.com in the Add this website to the zone box.
- Click Add, and then click Close.
- Click OK two times.
- Restart Internet Explorer.
Method 2: Add a site to Group Policy
Register a target Web site in the local intranet zone by configuring a local policy or a domain policy for an organization unit. To do this, follow these steps:
- Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.
- Expand User Configuration, expand Windows Settings, expand Internet Explorer Maintenance, and then click Security.
- In the details pane, double-click Security Zones and Content Ratings.
- Click Import the current security zones and privacy settings.
Note If you are prompted to import settings, click Continue. - Click Modify Settings.
- On the Security tab, click Local intranet, and then click Sites.
- Click Advanced, and then type *.domain.com in the Add this website to the zone box.
- Click Add, and then click Close.
- Click OK three times.
Note If you want to configure the security zone settings and privacy settings on a Windows Server 2003-based computer from which enhanced security configuration has been uninstalled, use Method 2. Additionally, use Method 2 if you want to configure these settings on a Windows XP-based computer that does not have enhanced security configuration.
For more information about Group Policy, see the "Administering Group Policy with Group Policy Management Console Abstract" white paper. To see this white paper, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
303650Â
(http://kbalertz.com/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=303650/
)
Intranet site is identified as an Internet site when you use an FQDN or an IP address