how to prevent downloading of an object

[news.microsof.com]

Hi All,

How can I disable something like the following? I don't want it to be
executed in any way. What happens now is that the browser connects for
downloading and then I get a popup like "do you want to install ...?". Hell
no. Why does it start downloading without asking me first?

<OBJECT classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"

codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.ca
b#version=5,0,0,0"

WIDTH=100% HEIGHT=100%>

<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="streets.swf">

<PARAM NAME=loop VALUE=false>

<PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=high>

<PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#000000>

<EMBED src="streets.swf" loop=false quality=high bgcolor=#000000 WIDTH=100%
HEIGHT=100% TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash"
PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_
Version=ShockwaveFlash"></EMBED>

</OBJECT>

 

[Rob Parsons]

The download in question is Macromedia's Shockwave Flash control. It is very
popular on web sites for its rich content and animations. You can tell its
the real thing and not a malicious Active X control by the codebase value
which points to the macromedia website.
However if you want to disable downloading of ActiveX controls from web
pages open the Internet Control Panel (Tools/Internet Options menu) and
select the security tab. Then select the Internet Zone and press the 'Custom
Level..' button. In that list you will see Items for ActiveX controls and
Plug-ins. Select Disable for both 'Download signed ActiveX controls' and
'Download unsigned ActiveX controls'....

If you want to you can leave the 'Download signed ActiveX controls' to
enabled. 'Signed' means that the control comes with a certificate of
Authenticity, which basically means the company that made the control has
thoroughly tested it and guarantees that it won't harm your computer
(non-malware)

A quicker option is to Click the Zone Icon that appears on your status bar.
Clicking this icon will display the Security tab of the Internet Options
Control Panel. You can then use the slider control to select the security
level you want for a particular site that you are visiting.

Generally in the Internet Zone I have the security level set to High... this
stops popups and downloads and virturally everything else. Once I know a
site is safe and its the real dige, I flip the security level back to medium
or add the site to my trusted zone.

 

[MAP]

To add to what Rob has told you,from what I gather from your post it is not
downloading,but asking you if you want to download it (a very,very big
difference),your activeX controls are set to prompt,which is a good thing.

 

[news.microsoft.com]

To add to what Rob has told you,from what I gather from your post it is not
downloading,but asking you if you want to download it (a very,very big
difference),your activeX controls are set to prompt,which is a good thing.

Yes they are set to prompt by me but in this case it doesn't ask me before
it starts downloading. It *downloads* something and asks me "do you want to
install ...". And I choose NO. But it has already wasted my bandwidth!