IE 6 posts 0 form CONTENT_LENGTH when CGI authentication is anonymous?

[rzward]

Hello,

I have observed that my CGI script on MS IIS 5.1 will run but receive a form CONTENT_LENGTH of 0 when I do the following:

1) I have IE 6 SP2 log onto a page with a form on my website using integrated windows authentication;

2) I configure my CGI script to run using the anonymous account only;

3) I click on the submit button on the form, having IE 6 SP2 POST the form to my CGI script.

I have also observed that the CGI script will in fact receive POSTed form data when I:

1) have IE 6 SP2 log onto the page using basic authentication instead of integrated windows authentication,

2) have IE 6 SP2 log onto the page using the anonmyous account only, even if I have the CGI script use integrated windows authentication only.

I am thinking that IE 6 somehow decides to not send the POSTed form's data when the authentication method of the CGI script is anonymous. Perhaps this is part of a set of security changes in IE 6 SP2?

I have not been able to reproduce this behavior in IE 5 or (of course) Netscape 6, 7 or 8.

Has anyone else encountered this? Is this a defect in IE 6 or IE 6 SP2?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Richard

 

[bcastner]

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...77-4A21-4066-BD22-B931F7572E9A&displaylang=en

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;821814

 

[rzward]

Thank you for the information.

I believe the problem referenced in your second URL has already been resolved by Microsoft in IE 6 SP2. I found that the date and version of Wininet.dll on my machine is later than the one listed on Microsoft's page.

It's not clear to me that the problem listed on Microsoft's page is the same as what I'm experiencing. For one, the following statement is *not* true:

"...The server immediately replies to the POST request with a "401 Access Denied" response and closes the connection."

Instead, the server allows the CGI program to run and the CGI program returns what it does when it receives no form data.

Here are some more information about the problem:

1) IE 6 POSTs form data without any problem when the browser is logged onto the form's page using the anonmyous account only and the CGI script receiving the post requires integrated authentication only.

2) When the script receives no form data, the amount of data listed in the web server's logs as received by the web server is significantly less than when the script receives the form data. To me, this suggests the script itself is not involved with the problem.

3) I have someone who is using my script on a (I believe but am confirming) Unix web server. She is getting occasional reports that the script is receiving no form data. I have not yet received but am also trying to get information about the browsers involved. Given the testing I have done, I suspect the browser is IE 6.

Thank you again.

Richard

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;870700&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[rzward]

Thank you for the additional link.

I followed all the recommended steps on the page and unfortunately this did not change IE 6's behavior.

I also installed and ran the diagnostic tool. The diagnostic tool confirmed the configuration, permission settings and authentication methods used for the files on my website.

I am now planning to try to reproduce the problem POSTing to a Linux web server...

Richard