Computerworld posted a story that Microsoft's Internet Explorer will begin blocking out-of-date ActiveX controls when the company updates the versions that run on Windows 7 and Windows 8 next week.

In a blog post, a pair of Microsoft managers said that IE8, IE9, IE10 and IE11 on Windows 7, as well as IE10 and IE11 on Windows 8's classic desktop, will be refreshed next Tuesday. The updated browser will then display a notification when a website tries to load an outmoded ActiveX control.

Initially, IE will only block outdated versions of Java.

"It's very important that you keep your ActiveX controls up-to-date because malicious or compromised Web pages can target security flaws in outdated controls to collect information, install dangerous software, or let someone else control your computer remotely," Fred Pullen, a senior product manager for IE, and Jasika Bawa, a program manager from Microsoft's security team, said in the Wednesday blog.

  IE plays security catch-up, will block outdated Java plug-ins