Active X in Secure Environments

[Halfcan]

Hi,

I have a client who is trying to set up Active X to work in
a secure environment in XP where users are not allowed to install software.
He says active x likes to install to a folder called downloaded program files. This will be read only for their users and they will
not be able to install the necessary active x plugins needed to view Crystal reports.

Unfortunately, they need active x to view the reports.

Anyone have any ideas ?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[synapsevampire]

The client can push the active-x installs out to all machines, or you'll have to logon to each box using an account that can install them. Once they're in, the users can use them.

-k

 

[Halfcan]

Still having problems,
I'm installing the plug in as an administrator. The problem turns up when we
try to access reports as a standard user. Installing the plugin as an
administrator doesn't accomplish the following tasks for each user:

1) it does not install the certificate under HKLM\software, it installs it
under HKCU\Software. Therefore, it will try to install again whenever the
next user tries to access the reports. Not really that big a deal..we could
fix this during packaging.

2) The active X cache points to c:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files. The
user requires write permission to this folder in order for the app to work.
This is a virtual folder, and we are unable to grant permissions to it. We
can change the ActiveXCache parameters in the registry, but this may very
well break other Active X components in the future. Not an Option.

3) The user needs to be able to write to the Code Store Database keys in the
registry. I believe this to have something to do with authenticode. This is
not acceptable.

So..where does this leave us. The application installs and runs properly as
an administrator, but will not run correctly as a standard user. This makes
it Windows XP compatible, but not truly XP compliant. Thanks for your help,
Andy

 

[synapsevampire]

Interesting, I didn't have that problem at my last client who didn't allow Active-X on XP, and I thought they were security Nazis...

-k

 

[SurfingGecko]

Sounds like someone may need to losen up a bit. XP is trying to establish the user profile and linking of the ActiveX (which would have been installed for 'all users' since it was done as Admin) for this user. Reg keys and the like.

Sounds like the system is in serious lock down.



Cheers,

SurfingGecko

http://www.surfinggeckosoftware.com

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