PPT97: No Warning When Opening PowerPoint Files From Web Pages

ID: Q168427

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows
Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0
Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows 95, versions 3.0, 3.01,
```
     3.02, 4.0 
```
Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows NT 3.51, versions 3.0, 3.01
Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows NT 4.0, versions 3.0, 3.01,
```
     3.02, 4.0 
```

SYMPTOMS

When you open a PowerPoint 95 or PowerPoint 97 presentation directly from a Web page, Microsoft Internet Explorer does not display a security warning. In contrast, when you attempt to open other types of files, such as program (.exe) or archive (.zip) files, Internet Explorer displays a message warning that these files might potentially damage your computer.

NOTE: Other Web browsers (such as NetScape Navigator) may also fail to display a security message when you open a PowerPoint presentation from a Web site.

CAUSE

The versions of Internet Explorer listed at the beginning of this article do not recognize that they need to display a security warning for PowerPoint (.ppt) files.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, download and install the PPTWarn.exe file from the following Microsoft web site:

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

After you install this update, Internet Explorer will display the following security warning when you open a PowerPoint presentation from a Web page:

   Opening:
   <File name> from <location>

   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?

   () Open it
   () Save it to disk

NOTE: This program does not disable interactive and action settings, it just warns you of the potential risk.

STATUS

A top priority is to provide a complete PowerPoint solution, which Microsoft will make available to customers as soon as possible.

MORE INFORMATION

PowerPoint presentations can contain text or graphics that run programs that are already installed on your hard drive. For example, a slide can contain an icon to run Microsoft Notepad or Microsoft Excel when you click on it. In addition, PowerPoint 97 supports mouse over events; you can trigger an object's action setting by dragging your mouse across it. For example, you can insert a picture that runs Calculator when you drag your mouse across it.

PowerPoint 97 does not treat action settings as macros. Therefore, if you open a presentation that contains action settings, PowerPoint 97 does not display a macro warning message. The PowerPoint 97 macro warning message is as follows:

   The presentation you are opening contains macros. Some macros may
   contain viruses that could harm your computer.

   If you are sure this presentation is from a trusted source, click
   'Enable Macros.' If you are not sure and want to prevent any macros
   from running, click 'Disable Macros.'

PowerPoint 7.0 and 97 let you assign interactive or action settings to graphics or text. These interactive settings make it possible to create rich multimedia presentations in PowerPoint. For example, if you create a presentation about your new software, you can create an action button to start the program during your presentation.

The PowerPoint 7.0 Interactive Settings feature can only be used to run programs that are installed on your computer, or to run multimedia files or open Web pages in your default browser. You cannot run any program that is not already installed on your computer. While it is possible to have an interactive setting that starts a potentially destructive program (such as Format.com or Fdisk.com), those programs generally display their own warnings before they run.

The PowerPoint 97 Action Settings feature can be used to run either a program on your hard drive, or macro code stored in the presentation. It is possible to write a PowerPoint macro that does something destructive. However, if a presentation contains macro code, PowerPoint displays the macro warning when you open the presentation.

NOTE: There is nothing unique about presentations viewed from the Internet. If you receive a PowerPoint presentation on a floppy disk or open it from a network server on your company's network, it still may contain action settings or macros which could potentially be destructive.

Additional query words: 3.00 3.01 3.02 4.00 7.00 97 ppt97 ppt95 ie

Keywords          : kbinterop kbweb
Version           : 3.00 3.01 3.02 4.00 7.00 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86

Last Reviewed: November 25, 1998