Vulnerability Development: Re: Plain text files in internet explorer

[Pierre-Yves Bonnetain <bonnetain () acm org>]

Benjamin Elijah Griffin wrote:
> > Photoshop makes a JPEG.  It's a JPEG.
> > Imagemagick makes a JPEG.  It's a JPEG.
> > Some crazy hacker with a hex editor makes a JPEG.  It's a JPEG.
> Sure, fine. By my SpiffyOS has a great way to store the filetype
> outside the filename. So, I use the filename to store special
> attributes to the file, such as
>
>         bullet.red
>         bullet.blue
>         logo.large
>         logo.med
>         logo.small
>
> At some point I'm going to accidentally come up with an "extension"
> that maps differently on different systems.
   Another way to look this point : multiple extensions. You know, the
files some webmaster names infos.pl.html or datasheet.html.en (or
anything you want : advert.fr.jpg). Which extension should carry the
type ? The first ? The second ? By the way, infos.pl.html is an html
file in Polish, or a Perl program code that should be displayed in
HTML ? Or something else ?
   Names are not type, and should not be. Here, in France, anyone
called Jean is a man. In English-speaking zones, it's a woman. You
could run into troubles by 'type-interpreting based on name'.

   Just my .02 cents (of euros, not dollars; almost the same thing
today).

-- Pierre-Yves Bonnetain
   Networks and Computers Security -- B&A Consultants
   Tél +33 (0) 563 277 241 -- Fax +33 (0) 563 277 245