powerpoint security issue

A

Aron

Since we´ve changed to XP SP2 and Office 2003 (5000 Users) there seems to be
a difference in opening *.pps files in the browser. There are not opened in
prasentation mode, but in Powerpoint (like as it was a ppt)

I found the key where I can change this
(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\Browserflags) but the question is:
Is this a security issue, why pps files can (should) not be open directly in
Internet Explorer? Could there be any harm through malices codes?

Best Regards H. Abraham
 
E

Echo S

I don't know if it's a security issue or not, H. Abraham.

[Control how the browser opens PowerPoint files
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00189.htm ] has information you might find useful,
but you might want to post your question in the PowerPoint-specific
newsgroup as well.
 
A

Aron

Many thanks for the information and the links, Echo S.

Since there are no hints about a security issue, i will propably open a call
at Microsoft and see what they up to.

Greetings from Munich
Abraham
---
Echo S said:
I don't know if it's a security issue or not, H. Abraham.

[Control how the browser opens PowerPoint files
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00189.htm ] has information you might find useful,
but you might want to post your question in the PowerPoint-specific
newsgroup as well.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


Aron said:
Since we´ve changed to XP SP2 and Office 2003 (5000 Users) there seems to
be
a difference in opening *.pps files in the browser. There are not opened
in
prasentation mode, but in Powerpoint (like as it was a ppt)

I found the key where I can change this
(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\Browserflags) but the question is:
Is this a security issue, why pps files can (should) not be open directly
in
Internet Explorer? Could there be any harm through malices codes?

Best Regards H. Abraham
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
B

Beth Melton

I'm not following why you think this is a security issue. A *.pps file
is a *.ppt file with a different file extension. The default action
for a *.pps file is to start PowerPoint in Show mode (using the /s
switch) rather than edit/normal mode. If you want to change the
behavior all you need to do is edit the *.pps file type and remove the
/s switch or simply rename the file and change the file extension.
Essentially that's the only difference between the file types and
macros stored in the file will run with either file type.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

Aron said:
Many thanks for the information and the links, Echo S.

Since there are no hints about a security issue, i will propably
open a call
at Microsoft and see what they up to.

Greetings from Munich
Abraham
---
Echo S said:
I don't know if it's a security issue or not, H. Abraham.

[Control how the browser opens PowerPoint files
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00189.htm ] has information you might find
useful,
but you might want to post your question in the PowerPoint-specific
newsgroup as well.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


Aron said:
Since we´ve changed to XP SP2 and Office 2003 (5000 Users) there
seems to
be
a difference in opening *.pps files in the browser. There are not
opened
in
prasentation mode, but in Powerpoint (like as it was a ppt)

I found the key where I can change this
(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\Browserflags) but the
question is:
Is this a security issue, why pps files can (should) not be open
directly
in
Internet Explorer? Could there be any harm through malices codes?

Best Regards H. Abraham
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
A

Aron

Hello,

Beth Melton was right. According to Microsoft there is no security issue.
The only problem is, that IE can not differenciate between pps and ppt. When
you set the key ( \HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\BrowserFlags) to 0, it
will also open ppt as slideshow.
--
Thanks Abraham


Beth Melton said:
I'm not following why you think this is a security issue. A *.pps file
is a *.ppt file with a different file extension. The default action
for a *.pps file is to start PowerPoint in Show mode (using the /s
switch) rather than edit/normal mode. If you want to change the
behavior all you need to do is edit the *.pps file type and remove the
/s switch or simply rename the file and change the file extension.
Essentially that's the only difference between the file types and
macros stored in the file will run with either file type.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

Aron said:
Many thanks for the information and the links, Echo S.

Since there are no hints about a security issue, i will propably
open a call
at Microsoft and see what they up to.

Greetings from Munich
Abraham
---
Echo S said:
I don't know if it's a security issue or not, H. Abraham.

[Control how the browser opens PowerPoint files
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00189.htm ] has information you might find
useful,
but you might want to post your question in the PowerPoint-specific
newsgroup as well.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


Since we´ve changed to XP SP2 and Office 2003 (5000 Users) there
seems to
be
a difference in opening *.pps files in the browser. There are not
opened
in
prasentation mode, but in Powerpoint (like as it was a ppt)

I found the key where I can change this
(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\Browserflags) but the
question is:
Is this a security issue, why pps files can (should) not be open
directly
in
Internet Explorer? Could there be any harm through malices codes?

Best Regards H. Abraham
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
E

Echo S

Thanks for posting back with this information, Abraham.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/

Aron said:
Hello,

Beth Melton was right. According to Microsoft there is no security issue.
The only problem is, that IE can not differenciate between pps and ppt.
When
you set the key ( \HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\BrowserFlags) to 0,
it
will also open ppt as slideshow.
--
Thanks Abraham


Beth Melton said:
I'm not following why you think this is a security issue. A *.pps file
is a *.ppt file with a different file extension. The default action
for a *.pps file is to start PowerPoint in Show mode (using the /s
switch) rather than edit/normal mode. If you want to change the
behavior all you need to do is edit the *.pps file type and remove the
/s switch or simply rename the file and change the file extension.
Essentially that's the only difference between the file types and
macros stored in the file will run with either file type.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

Aron said:
Many thanks for the information and the links, Echo S.

Since there are no hints about a security issue, i will propably
open a call
at Microsoft and see what they up to.

Greetings from Munich
Abraham
---
:

I don't know if it's a security issue or not, H. Abraham.

[Control how the browser opens PowerPoint files
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00189.htm ] has information you might find
useful,
but you might want to post your question in the PowerPoint-specific
newsgroup as well.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


Since we´ve changed to XP SP2 and Office 2003 (5000 Users) there
seems to
be
a difference in opening *.pps files in the browser. There are not
opened
in
prasentation mode, but in Powerpoint (like as it was a ppt)

I found the key where I can change this
(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\Browserflags) but the
question is:
Is this a security issue, why pps files can (should) not be open
directly
in
Internet Explorer? Could there be any harm through malices codes?

Best Regards H. Abraham
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
B

Beth Melton

Thanks for the update, Abraham. I didn't think it was a security
issue - but you never know. Thank you for confirming. :)

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

Aron said:
Hello,

Beth Melton was right. According to Microsoft there is no security
issue.
The only problem is, that IE can not differenciate between pps and
ppt. When
you set the key ( \HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\BrowserFlags)
to 0, it
will also open ppt as slideshow.
--
Thanks Abraham


Beth Melton said:
I'm not following why you think this is a security issue. A *.pps
file
is a *.ppt file with a different file extension. The default action
for a *.pps file is to start PowerPoint in Show mode (using the /s
switch) rather than edit/normal mode. If you want to change the
behavior all you need to do is edit the *.pps file type and remove
the
/s switch or simply rename the file and change the file extension.
Essentially that's the only difference between the file types and
macros stored in the file will run with either file type.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

Aron said:
Many thanks for the information and the links, Echo S.

Since there are no hints about a security issue, i will propably
open a call
at Microsoft and see what they up to.

Greetings from Munich
Abraham
---
:

I don't know if it's a security issue or not, H. Abraham.

[Control how the browser opens PowerPoint files
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00189.htm ] has information you might
find
useful,
but you might want to post your question in the
PowerPoint-specific
newsgroup as well.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


Since we´ve changed to XP SP2 and Office 2003 (5000 Users)
there
seems to
be
a difference in opening *.pps files in the browser. There are
not
opened
in
prasentation mode, but in Powerpoint (like as it was a ppt)

I found the key where I can change this
(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PowerPoint.Show.8\Browserflags) but the
question is:
Is this a security issue, why pps files can (should) not be
open
directly
in
Internet Explorer? Could there be any harm through malices
codes?

Best Regards H. Abraham
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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