Description of Internet Explorer PowerPoint Security Patch

ID: Q168928

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.02, 4.0, 5 for Windows 95
Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.02, 4.0, 5 for Windows NT 4.0

SUMMARY

Microsoft has released a patch for Internet Explorer for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 that causes Internet Explorer to prompt you before opening Microsoft PowerPoint files.

MORE INFORMATION

The Internet Explorer PowerPoint security patch causes Internet Explorer to process PowerPoint files the same way that program (.exe) files are processed. When you click a link to a PowerPoint file after installing the patch, the following message is displayed:

   Opening:

   <file> from <site>.

   Some files can contain viruses or otherwise be harmful to your
   computer. It is important to be certain that this file is from a
   trustworthy source.

   What would you like to do with this file?

You are then prompted to open the file or save it to your hard disk.

PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint for Windows 95 include a feature that you can use to run programs from a PowerPoint presentation. When you use this feature, you are not prompted or warned before PowerPoint runs the program. This allows Web site administrators to create Web pages that run programs on your computer without causing Internet Explorer to prompt you before the program runs. Installing the Internet Explorer PowerPoint security patch helps prevent this problem from occurring.

For information about obtaining the Internet Explorer PowerPoint security patch, please see the following Microsoft Web site:

   http://www.microsoft.com/ie/security/powerpoint.htm

Additional query words: 3.02 4.00 pptwarn.exe

Keywords          : kbtool msiew95 msient 
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: March 20, 1999