Microsoft has released Internet Explorer versions 3.0b and 3.01b. This
version is a comprehensive update that addresses several security issues
in Internet Explorer versions 3.0 and 3.01 for Windows 95 and Windows NT
4.0. This version replaces the Internet Explorer 3.0a and 3.01a update
that was released previously. If the version of Internet Explorer that
you are using has been updated with the 3.0b or 3.01b patch, one of the
following versions is reported when you click About Internet Explorer on
the Help menu:
For more information about the availability of Internet Explorer
security updates, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:
- 3.0a/3.01a Security Update: Fix for the "Cybersnot" bug. This patch
causes Internet Explorer to prompt you with the following warning when
you open a Windows shortcut or link (.lnk) or Internet shortcut
(.url):
Opening:
<file> from <server>
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 either open the file or save it to disk. Note
that the "Always ask before opening this type of file" option is
disabled when you are opening .lnk and .url file types as a result of
the 3.0b/3.01b fix.
If you have installed the 3.0a/3.01a patch, you should upgrade to
Internet Explorer 3.0b or 3.01b. To determine whether the version of
Internet Explorer that you are using has been updated with the
3.0a/3.01a patch, click About Internet Explorer on the Help menu. One
of the following versions is listed if you have updated to the
3.0a/3.01a patch:
- Version 3.0a (470.1155)
- Version 3.0a (470.1158)
- Version 3.01a (4.70.1215)
- A fix for the MIT variation of the "Cybersnot" bug that causes
Internet Explorer to prompt you with the same warning as the
"Cybersnot" bug when you open any of the following "unsafe" file
types:
- Executable file (.exe)
- Zip file (.zip)
- MS-DOS batch file (.bat)
- MS-DOS program information file (.pif)
- Setup information file (.inf)
- Windows registry file (.reg)
- Windows NT command script file (.cmd)
- Qbasic file (.bas)
- Internet shortcut (.url)
- Internet link (.lnk)
- MS-DOS program file (.com)
Note that the "Always ask before opening this type of file" option is
disabled when you are opening any of the "unsafe" file types listed
above as a result of the 3.0b/3.01b fix.
When you open any file that is not on the "unsafe" list, Internet
Explorer prompts you with same warning, but you are able to enable or
disable the "Always ask before opening this type of file" option.
- A fix for the "UMD" bug that causes Internet Explorer to prompt you
with the following warning when you open any file from a shell
(folder) view within Internet Explorer:
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. Do you want to continue opening this file?
If you click OK, the file opens; if you click Cancel, the operation
stops and the file is not opened or downloaded.
NOTE: This applies to "top-level browsing" using the Internet Explorer
Address bar [that is, typing "C:\" or "\\<server>\<share>" (without
quotation marks), where <server> is the computer and <share> is the
folder or drive that contains the resources that you are accessing],
or browsing local or remote folders in a frame on a Web page.
- An update to the user agent string. The user agent string allows Web
sites to detect the type of browser being used to access the site.
After installing Internet Explorer 3.0b/3.01b, the user agent string
reported is one of the following, depending on the version of Internet
Explorer:
- 3.00 - NT - Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.0; Update B;
Windows NT)
- 3.00 - Win95 - Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.0; Update B; Windows
95)
- 3.01 - NT-Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.01; Update B; Windows NT)
- 3.01- Win95 - Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.01; Update B; Windows
95)
If you are not running patch B, the user agent string returned for
version 3.01 is "Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.01; Windows 95)."
Similarly, the user agent string for version 3.0 is "Mozilla/2.0
(compatible; MSIE 3.0; Windows 95)."