is this possible?

shawon22

i was wondering if its possible to run a program on client side which is not installed on the client machine. Is this possible? I don't think it's a php thing, but I'm hoping someone has done this and can point me in the right direction

Thank you for the help

s_shrum

My general answer would be "ABSOLUTELY NOT". The security risks in doing something like this are poo-poo-ed in every (well-written) browser way before you even try.

Then again I don't hack as much as I used to so I can't really say for sure. It may be possible but I wouldn't spend too much time trying to beat my head against it.

mogster

I had a javascript once that refreshed autoexec.bat. Spooky stuff, but thank GOD this is probably a security-issue from the past...

As for bringing in external progs and execute them: suicide! :eek:

Bad enough that ie allows for direct-x stuff to be run..

knutm

shawon22

what if its a trusted program like Microsoft word and all i want is to everytime a user click on a link it starts that program on the browser but the only thing it will install the required dll's just to run the interface and everything else will be on the server even the files/folders.

s_shrum

That is possible...granted the users interaction with the process (like having the use click on a file with a .doc extension) but the user will be shown a dialog indicating that the file may have viruses and will be given the open of 1 openning it, 2 openning it with macros disabled, or 3 (and most common of all) not open it at all.

Macro viruses are so 5-years ago.

Just figure it this way...installing ANYTHING on a persons machine without their consent is boarding on hacking into a persons system. Browsers watch for this stuff now-a-days. Better to just have the person download the files, run the installer (thus their consent is given) and not worry about it. Yes it's an extra step but ultimately, what you are asking to do is HIGHLY DANGEROUS (from a client-based point of view)

jpmoriarty

theres always the terminal services route - then you can have access to a complete computer, and it can run completely through IE (cant remember which plug in things you need for that, but know it can be done)