How to stop SecureClick browser acting as default for PDFs on my hard drive

[Sveika]

I used Control Panel to set default software for opening PDFs, but if I try to open a PDF on my hard drive, the SureClick Chromium browser takes over.  Then I have to close the browser and start over using 'Open With'.

(1) Can I disable just this open-all-pdfs feature in the SureClick browser?
(2) If not, how do I uninstall or disable the SureClick browser entirely?
(3) If neither, what system-level macro software would you recommend? The open-with nuisance is only one of many aspects of Windows that could benefit from automation.

Detail for Question 2: I don't even see the browser in the Control Panel list of programs. The browser's three-dot drop-down list ends with "Managed by your organization." That seems to mean HP, instead of my own organization. What can I do about that?

[DGroves]

since you haven't provided any specific details (just how are you using control panel to select a default?) of what you have tried I'll start with the basics,

under windows 10 usually you can just right click, on a icon and then select which installed  application is the default and it's a global setting which will affect all programs  that use/call the selected default

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/windowsbasics/opening-files-with-different-applications/1/

the windows 10 default "Edge" browser is integral to windows and as such can not be removed, due to this it will not be listed in the list of added programs, any browser that you install such as Firefox or chrome will normally show in the add/remove list

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/why-can-t-i-uninstall-microsoft-edge-ee150b3b-7d7...

HP sure click browser extension:

https://help-sureclick.bromium-online.com/secure-browsing/v4.1.8.1/en/secure-browsing.html

The Sure Click uninstaller does not remove the installation of the Chrome extension which is set in Group Policy.

The registry key here is being set by Group Policy: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist. You can also check this by entering chrome://policy in the Chrome address bar.

Note: backup the registry BEFORE making any changes!!!
The Chrome Sure Click extension is being set in registry.pol here  C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicy\Machine\. The fix is to delete and recreate registry.pol. You will need to use Group Policy Editor to reset any policy changes you may have entered.

• Delete registry.pol permanently using Shift + Delete.
• To recreate it, open PowerShell with admin privileges.
• Execute the following command: gpupdate /force

[Sveika]

Clarification: I used Control Panel to get to "Associate a file type or protocol with a program." That is where I set my preferred solftware as the default for opening PDF files. This is supposed to be a global setting (as you say), but when I click on a pdf file in a file explorer it is opened by the SureClick browser instead. Somehow, SureClick is overriding the global setting. All other default file associations are indeed global; only PDF is subject to this odd override.

I don't need to uninstall Edge (Microsoft) or SureClick (which seems to be a Chromium-based browser). I only want to stop the override. I do not want to make registry changes to SureClick unless the change is specific to handling of PDF files. From the example given here, such a file-type setting seems unlikely.

It seems as if a macro editor is going to be a better solution. I'm looking for a script to automate "IF filetype = PDF, open with <mypreferredsoftware>, ELSE open." If I assign that to a hotkey, I can run it instead of clicking on a PDF file. The ELSE statement would account for accidentally running the macro on a non-PDF file.

THANKS, anyway.

[DGroves]

all of your current questions in this post have been answered in your previous post that i replied to

i recommend that you take the time to fully read the links i provided along with the comments i made

[joselso]

Here is one more inconvenient aspect of HP Sure Click in my HP workstation that is not mentioned in the link provided by DGroves:

Sometimes I download a PDF file from the Internet, or (using Firefox browser) I print... > Save to PDF a website page that I would like to keep. The PDF icon of the resulting PDF file is blue-stained with HP Sure Click icon even though I did not use Sure Click browser.

Then, when I open the resulting PDF file: Open with > Adobe Acrobat DC and I try to print, the option to print in my local printer is missing; I have to select Microsoft Print to PDF so as to create a new PDF file with the same contents, this time capable of being printed in my local printer. The PDF icon of the second file is free from the blue sign of HP Sure Click.

Interesting to note that the original website page – not in PDF form – can be printed in my printer directly from Firefox browser, thus bypassing the over-protective blanket provided by HP Sure Click.

BTW, here is another aspect:

Whenever I select to view certain ‘settings’ of my Windows 10 Professional for Workstations, or ‘settings’ of my Firefox browser, I am greeted with an announcement (or, in Firefox, a local link) stating:

Your browser is being managed by your organization .

As I am an ‘end user’ there is no ‘organization’ that I know of, that manages my computer behind my back.

To check things more deeply, I press the above local link, and I find some interesting results:

For example, in Policy Name: ExtensionSettings , unique Policy Values have been created, with the tell-tale names: firefoxhpsureclicksecurebrowsing@bromium.com, firefoxhpwolfsecurityextension@bromium.com, referring to [content removed] .

These policy modifications can only be viewed in the Registry using regedit.exe but not in the dedicated policy configuration application gpedit.msc.

Well, Bromium.com is the name of an application associated with HP Wolf Enterprise Security for PCs, which contains HP Wolf Security for Business as a sublayer.

So, it turns out that the ‘organization’ is HP, whose preinstalled software ‘HP Wolf Security’ in my HP workstation has modified the Security Policies in the Registry of Windows 10 for Workstations.

So, now I get to fully appreciate the meaning of HP statement in its website page https://www.hp.com/us-en/security/pc-security.html :

HP PCs with HP Wolf Security for Business are built with hardware-enforced security features and layers of protection below, in, and above the OS.

That’s a good definition of ‘ubiquitous’, ‘all-encompassing’, ‘Big Brother’, and in my case ‘your organization’.

[Sveika]

Unfortunately, your reply did not in the least answer my questions, nor did any of the links. You could at least be honest and say that HP SureClick control of PDFs cannot be altered. It would also help to say that this applies only to the download directory. I will consider this conversation closed, even tho' the problem was not solved. I will go on to try macro and file management tools to bypass the intrusive behavior of HP SureClick. It is well meant, and doubtless a good piece of software, but use of it should be optional -- especially in light of how many systems are in a sole-proprietor, sole-user business.

[Sveika]

Thank you to Joselso for identifying the meaning of "managed by your organization." I too resent this intrusive behavior.
I am giving up on a solution within HP SureClick and will try out different system macro programs to automate removing protection or to open any and all PDFs with my preferred software. -- A pity, that HP cannot recognize and respect the individual autonomy of a business owner.