27 March, 2013

Uploading EXE files on Sharepoint site

By default, many file types are blocked, including file types that are treated as executable by Internet Explorer. Each Web application maintains a list of blocked file types that is based on file name extensions.

Please refer the following file extensions that are by-default blocked in SharePoint 2010 [Recommended by Microsoft]

I would like to tell you that this is not a SP limitation and we can allow any file types to be uploaded in SharePoint but not necessarily a great idea. Storing .EXE files in SharePoint can cause some serious security issues. Just imagine if a user wants to upload a .exe with a friendly name like "Gtalk.exe" but it’s really a virus - not good!.

SharePoint is definitely not the place to store everything, .EXE files being one of those things.

My suggestion:  If we are intending to have .exe files (or scripts etc.) stored in a SharePoint system, then at least put them inside zip files and allow .zip files to be uploaded rather than .exe files. This will mean that while the .exe files are still available, more effort will be needed to start them. Future prospect: Many benefits, Less pain J

SharePoint isn't a file share, it's web application.

Considering internal as well as external point of view: If you are accessing these internally only, we could keep them on a file share and just link to them from the SP site. This will execute outside of the browser instance in this case, but won’t work for outside users, unless you publish file shares via something like UAG (Unified Access Gateway).

File name extension
File type
.ade
Microsoft Access project extension
.adp
Microsoft Access project
.app
Application file
.asa
ASP declarations file
.asmx
ASP.NET Web Services source file
.asp
Active Server Pages
.bas
Microsoft Visual Basic class module
.bat
Batch file
.cdx
Compound index
.cer
Certificate file
.chm
Compiled HTML Help file
.class
Java class file
.cmd
Microsoft Windows NT command script
.com
Microsoft MS-DOS program
.config
Configuration file
.cpl
Control Panel extension
.crt
Security certificate
.csh
Script file
.dll
Windows dynamic-link library
.exe
Program
.fxp
Microsoft Visual FoxPro compiled program
.hlp
Help file
.hta
HTML program
.htr
Script file
.htw
HTML document
.ida
Internet Information Services file
.idc
Internet database connector file
.idq
Internet data query file
.ins
Internet Naming Service
.isp
Internet Communication settings
.its
Internet Document Set file
.jse
JScript Encoded script file
.ksh
Korn Shell script file
.lnk
Shortcut
.mad
Shortcut
.maf
Shortcut
.mag
Shortcut
.mam
Shortcut
.maq
Shortcut
.mar
Shortcut
.mas
Microsoft Access stored procedure
.mat
Shortcut
.mau
Shortcut
.mav
Shortcut
.maw
Shortcut
.mda
Microsoft Access add-in program
.mdb
Microsoft Access program
.mde
Microsoft Access MDE database
.mdt
Microsoft Access data file
.mdw
Microsoft Access workgroup
.mdz
Microsoft Access wizard program
.msc
Microsoft Common Console document
.msh
Microsoft Agent script helper
.msh1
Microsoft Agent script helper
.msh1xml
Microsoft Agent script helper
.msh2
Microsoft Agent script helper
.msh2xml
Microsoft Agent script helper
.mshxml
Microsoft Agent script helper
.msi
Microsoft Windows Installer package
.msp
Windows Installer patch package file
.mst
Visual Test source files
.ops
Microsoft Office profile settings file
.pif
Shortcut to MS-DOS program
.prf
System file
.prg
Program source file
.printer
Printer file
.pst
Microsoft Outlook personal folder file
.reg
Registration entries
.rem
ACT! database maintenance file
.scf
Windows Explorer command file
.scr
Screen saver
.sct
Script file
.shb
Windows shortcut
.shs
Shell Scrap object
.shtm
HTML file that contains server-side directives
.shtml
HTML file that contains server-side directives
.soap
Simple Object Access Protocol file
.stm
HTML file that contains server-side directives
.url
Uniform Resource Locator (Internet shortcut)
.vb
Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition file
.vbe
VBScript Encoded Script file
.vbs
VBScript file
.ws
Windows Script file
.wsc
Windows Script Component
.wsf
Windows Script file
.wsh
Windows Script Host settings file