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Userdata persistence

This setting controls user data persistence for webpages in the Internet zone.

since 0.9.8.11

Purpose

Show registry keys (2)
  • HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3\1606
  • HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3\1606

This setting controls user data persistence for webpages in the Internet zone. It determines whether Internet Explorer may preserve information in browser history, favorites, an XML store, or directly within a webpage saved to disk.

When persistence is allowed, webpages designed to use this mechanism can retain state across browser sessions and restore it when the user returns. When persistence is blocked, pages in the Internet zone cannot use this mechanism. According to Microsoft, user data persistence is allowed in this zone when the policy is not configured.

Notes

Security

Persistent userData stores are not encrypted. Applications that can access the drive containing the stored data can therefore potentially read it, so this mechanism is unsuitable for sensitive information.

Access from web content is restricted: a userData store is available only through the same protocol and within the same directory context in which it was saved. Allowing this setting does not grant a webpage general access to arbitrary files; it permits only the designated persistence mechanism.

Possible side effects

Blocking persistence can prevent older web applications from restoring saved state or user input. Features that specifically depend on the proprietary userData behavior may consequently be limited or fail to operate as intended.

Notes

The value name 1606 represents the URL action URLACTION_HTML_USERDATA_SAVE (0x00001606). It is a REG_DWORD value: 0 corresponds to URLPOLICY_ALLOW and permits the action, while 3 (URLPOLICY_DISALLOW) blocks it.

This setting applies only to the Internet zone (Zones\3). The underlying userData behavior is a legacy, proprietary Internet Explorer technology that Microsoft identifies as obsolete as of Internet Explorer 10.

Microsoft documentation

Microsoft Learn: InternetExplorer Policy CSP – InternetZoneAllowUserDataPersistence

Microsoft Learn: userData Behavior

Microsoft Learn: URL Action Flags

Microsoft Learn: URL Policy Flags

See also