Active Server Pages Script Appears in Browser

Last reviewed: February 10, 1998
Article ID: Q163485

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Information Server, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

When you use Microsoft Internet Information Server, if you place a period (.) in a browser’s command line after any script-mapped file name, you receive unexpected results. The browser produces a document that contains the scripting information as well as other data in the file.

For example, if you enter:

   http://server_name/asp_directory/file.asp.

You receive something like:

   <% emailx=request.form("email")
   remarkx=request.form("remark") Set Conn =
   Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection") Conn.Open "Local SQL
   Server", "sa", "DTide" Set RS = Conn.Execute("insert into
   Web_data.dbo.ASP_data(email,remark) values('" & emailx &
   "','" & remarkx & "')") %>

   Your information has been added to our database.

The browser should return a confirmation web page, without the script.

CAUSE

The problem affects any script-mapped files requested from a virtual directory that has both read and execute permissions set. Adding one or more extra periods onto the end of the URL causes the file to be displayed in the browser, instead of run on the server. This allows end users to see information that may be confidential, such as server-side script logic (for example, the discount applied to the retail price from a database). This problem affects any file in the script-map list, such as .asp, .ht., .id, .PL, and so on.

This problem only occurs on virtual directories that have both read and execute access. If read is disabled, the server-side information is not viewable by the end user.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, do either of the following:

Do not place script-mapped files in a directory that has both read and execute permissions.
-or-
Get the hotfix mentioned below.

This hotfix has been posted to the following Internet location. You can download any of these self-extracting files from the following service:

   Internet (anonymous FTP)
   ftp ftp.microsoft.com
   Change to the bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/
   nt40/hotfixes-postSP2/iis-fix/ folder.
   Get Readme.1st (for instructions on downloading and installing the
   hotfix).

Or use the following full URL on your client browser:

   FTP://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/
   nt40/hotfixes-postSP2/iis-fix/readme.1st

NOTE: After you apply the above fix, the default document in WWW Service Properties cannot contain any forward slashes. Any forward slashes must be converted to back slashes.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Internet Information Server version 3.0. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

Additional query words: 1.00 2.00 3.00 prodnt 4.00
Keywords : iisapi iissecurity iiswww kbbug1.00 kbbug2.00 kbbug3.00
Version : WinNT:3.0
Platform : winnt

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Last reviewed: February 10, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.