This gives them great power and flexibility, but exposes unwary users to potential security hazards. Malicious hackers can easily write small programs that will shut down a computer without warning or delete the entire content of its hard drive.
More worryingly, several researchers and hackers have demonstrated apparently innocent controls that are harmless on their own but become malicious when installed alongside other ones. Java fans and many security consultants cite these problems as good reasons to avoid the use of ActiveX.
Microsoft, however, says that the use of a digital signature to identify controls from trusted companies will guarantee user security. Whoever is right, it appears that more and more people are shunning ActiveX in favor of Java applets and flash applications, which are now much more common on the web.
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