Creating browser sniffer with ASP.Net

[David Baker]

Hi all

I am very new to ASP.Net. I am trying to create a sniffer for our program. We want our users to click our sniffer and hopefully the sniffer will check their computer against our requirements. I would like to ask experts like you to see which items are actually doable with ASP.Net. Below I listed all of the items we are looking for but I can understand if some of the items are impossible to check/sniff. We would like to create a sniffer that returns the results for the below items

Broswer (minimum requirement is I.E. 6 for PC and Safari for Mac OS X
Browser type (This area will tell them what they have -AOL, MSN, IE...etc and in the list returns a red gif image if they don't have IE 6 or Safari
Browser version (This area will tell them what version they have and again returns a red gif image if they have an earlier version
Cookies (In this area we are basically trying to find out in the browser window - just for IE - if their privacy setting is set to the following: The window name is: Advanced Privacy Settings. We want "Override automatic cookie handling" to be checked; first-party-cookies and third-party-cookies radio buttons are checked and "Always allow session cookies" are checked. We also want if our website is listed in the "Per Site Privacy Actions" window (you can get to window by clicking in IE Tools-Internet Options-Privacy-Websites-Edit)
Cache (In this area we are trying to find out if their "Temporary Internet Files" settings is set to "Every visit to the page"
OS Version (This area will tell them what version they have and returns a red gif image if they don't have Windows XP or Mac OS X
Connection speed (This area will tell them what their connection speed is and returns a red gif image if they have dial-up connection
Display settings (This area will tell them what their screen resolution is
Service Pack ( This area will tell them if they have Service Pack 1 for Windows XP
Flash (This area will tell them if they have Flash plug-ins
Java (This area will tell them if they have Java Virtual Machine
Java Applets (This area will tell them if they have some of our applets installed in this directory: C:\WINNT\Downloaded Program Files
Java Script (This area will tell them if some of the items in browsers "Security Setting" window (IE-Tools-Options-Security-Custom Level
Adobe Acrobat Reader (This area will tell them if they have Acrobat Reader 6.0
Do you have a media player? (This area will tell them if they have any media player (Windows Media, Real player, Winamp...etc
What program will open TIFs (This area will tell them what program is associated to open with the files with the extension .tiff
Firewall check (This area will tell them if they are behind a firewall
Pop-up window check (This area will tell them if there is any program that is blocking pop-up windows such as search toolbars
Parasites (This are will tell them if they are infected with parasites

Thank you in advance. Any ideas would help

Dave Bake

[Ken Cox [Microsoft MVP]]

Hi David,

This article will show you pretty well all of the info you can get using the
Request object in ASP.NET:

HOW TO: Determine the Browser Version in ASP.NET

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;311281
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As
System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim bc As HttpBrowserCapabilities
Dim s As String = ""
bc = Request.Browser
With bc
s &= "Browser Capabilities" & vbCrLf
s &= "Type = " & .Type & vbCrLf
s &= "Name = " & .Browser & vbCrLf
s &= "Version = " & .Version & vbCrLf
s &= "Major Version = " & .MajorVersion & vbCrLf
s &= "Minor Version = " & .MinorVersion & vbCrLf
s &= "Platform = " & .Platform & vbCrLf
s &= "Is Beta = " & .Beta & vbCrLf
s &= "Is Crawler = " & .Crawler & vbCrLf
s &= "Is AOL = " & .AOL & vbCrLf
s &= "Is Win16 = " & .Win16 & vbCrLf
s &= "Is Win32 = " & .Win32 & vbCrLf
s &= "Supports Frames = " & .Frames & vbCrLf
s &= "Supports Tables = " & .Tables & vbCrLf
s &= "Supports Cookies = " & .Cookies & vbCrLf
s &= "Supports VB Script = " & .VBScript & vbCrLf
s &= "Supports JavaScript = " & .JavaScript & vbCrLf
s &= "Supports Java Applets = " & .JavaApplets & vbCrLf
s &= "Supports ActiveX Controls = " & .ActiveXControls & vbCrLf
End With
TextBox1.Text = s
End Sub


HOW TO: Determine Browser Type in Server-Side Code Without the BrowserType
Object in ASP.NET

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;306576
"David Baker" <an*******@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9A**********************************@microsof t.com...

Hi all,

I am very new to ASP.Net. I am trying to create a sniffer for our program.
We want our users to click our sniffer and hopefully the sniffer will
check their computer against our requirements. I would like to ask experts
like you to see which items are actually doable with ASP.Net. Below I
listed all of the items we are looking for but I can understand if some of
the items are impossible to check/sniff. We would like to create a sniffer
that returns the results for the below items:

Broswer (minimum requirement is I.E. 6 for PC and Safari for Mac OS X)
Browser type (This area will tell them what they have -AOL, MSN, IE...etc
and in the list returns a red gif image if they don't have IE 6 or Safari)
Browser version (This area will tell them what version they have and again
returns a red gif image if they have an earlier version)
Cookies (In this area we are basically trying to find out in the browser
window - just for IE - if their privacy setting is set to the following:
The window name is: Advanced Privacy Settings. We want "Override automatic
cookie handling" to be checked; first-party-cookies and
third-party-cookies radio buttons are checked and "Always allow session
cookies" are checked. We also want if our website is listed in the "Per
Site Privacy Actions" window (you can get to window by clicking in IE
Tools-Internet Options-Privacy-Websites-Edit))
Cache (In this area we are trying to find out if their "Temporary Internet
Files" settings is set to "Every visit to the page")
OS Version (This area will tell them what version they have and returns a
red gif image if they don't have Windows XP or Mac OS X)
Connection speed (This area will tell them what their connection speed is
and returns a red gif image if they have dial-up connection)
Display settings (This area will tell them what their screen resolution
is)
Service Pack ( This area will tell them if they have Service Pack 1 for
Windows XP)
Flash (This area will tell them if they have Flash plug-ins)
Java (This area will tell them if they have Java Virtual Machine)
Java Applets (This area will tell them if they have some of our applets
installed in this directory: C:\WINNT\Downloaded Program Files)
Java Script (This area will tell them if some of the items in browsers
"Security Setting" window (IE-Tools-Options-Security-Custom Level)
Adobe Acrobat Reader (This area will tell them if they have Acrobat Reader
6.0)
Do you have a media player? (This area will tell them if they have any
media player (Windows Media, Real player, Winamp...etc)
What program will open TIFs (This area will tell them what program is
associated to open with the files with the extension .tiff)
Firewall check (This area will tell them if they are behind a firewall)
Pop-up window check (This area will tell them if there is any program that
is blocking pop-up windows such as search toolbars)
Parasites (This are will tell them if they are infected with parasites)

Thank you in advance. Any ideas would help.

Dave Baker

[Kevin Spencer]

That's a heck of a lot more information than their browser is going to send
with a Request. You will need to write an ActiveX Control or Java Applet to
run on the client and perform this type of testing.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.

"David Baker" <an*******@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9A**********************************@microsof t.com...

Hi all,

I am very new to ASP.Net. I am trying to create a sniffer for our program. We want our users to click our sniffer and hopefully the sniffer will check
their computer against our requirements. I would like to ask experts like
you to see which items are actually doable with ASP.Net. Below I listed all
of the items we are looking for but I can understand if some of the items
are impossible to check/sniff. We would like to create a sniffer that
returns the results for the below items:
Broswer (minimum requirement is I.E. 6 for PC and Safari for Mac OS X)
Browser type (This area will tell them what they have -AOL, MSN, IE...etc and in the list returns a red gif image if they don't have IE 6 or Safari) Browser version (This area will tell them what version they have and again returns a red gif image if they have an earlier version) Cookies (In this area we are basically trying to find out in the browser window - just for IE - if their privacy setting is set to the following: The
window name is: Advanced Privacy Settings. We want "Override automatic
cookie handling" to be checked; first-party-cookies and third-party-cookies
radio buttons are checked and "Always allow session cookies" are checked. We
also want if our website is listed in the "Per Site Privacy Actions" window
(you can get to window by clicking in IE Tools-Internet
Options-Privacy-Websites-Edit)) Cache (In this area we are trying to find out if their "Temporary Internet Files" settings is set to "Every visit to the page") OS Version (This area will tell them what version they have and returns a red gif image if they don't have Windows XP or Mac OS X) Connection speed (This area will tell them what their connection speed is and returns a red gif image if they have dial-up connection) Display settings (This area will tell them what their screen resolution is) Service Pack ( This area will tell them if they have Service Pack 1 for Windows XP) Flash (This area will tell them if they have Flash plug-ins)
Java (This area will tell them if they have Java Virtual Machine)
Java Applets (This area will tell them if they have some of our applets installed in this directory: C:\WINNT\Downloaded Program Files) Java Script (This area will tell them if some of the items in browsers "Security Setting" window (IE-Tools-Options-Security-Custom Level) Adobe Acrobat Reader (This area will tell them if they have Acrobat Reader 6.0) Do you have a media player? (This area will tell them if they have any media player (Windows Media, Real player, Winamp...etc) What program will open TIFs (This area will tell them what program is associated to open with the files with the extension .tiff) Firewall check (This area will tell them if they are behind a firewall)
Pop-up window check (This area will tell them if there is any program that is blocking pop-up windows such as search toolbars) Parasites (This are will tell them if they are infected with parasites)

Thank you in advance. Any ideas would help.

Dave Baker

[David Baker]

Thank you both for replying. From what I understand from your replies, I have two options: either use ASP.Net and create a server-side scripting (which Kevin says it is difficult to accomplish) or create a client-side scripting (using Active X or Jscript). Is that correct? If so, which path do you recommend me to go

Thanks a bunch, this information is very useful to get started

Dav

----- Ken Cox [Microsoft MVP] wrote: ----

Hi David

This article will show you pretty well all of the info you can get using the
Request object in ASP.NET

HOW TO: Determine the Browser Version in ASP.NE

http://support.microsoft.com/default...kb;en-us;31128
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As
System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Clic
Dim bc As HttpBrowserCapabilitie
Dim s As String = "
bc = Request.Browse
With b
s &= "Browser Capabilities" & vbCrL
s &= "Type = " & .Type & vbCrL
s &= "Name = " & .Browser & vbCrL
s &= "Version = " & .Version & vbCrL
s &= "Major Version = " & .MajorVersion & vbCrL
s &= "Minor Version = " & .MinorVersion & vbCrL
s &= "Platform = " & .Platform & vbCrL
s &= "Is Beta = " & .Beta & vbCrL
s &= "Is Crawler = " & .Crawler & vbCrL
s &= "Is AOL = " & .AOL & vbCrL
s &= "Is Win16 = " & .Win16 & vbCrL
s &= "Is Win32 = " & .Win32 & vbCrL
s &= "Supports Frames = " & .Frames & vbCrL
s &= "Supports Tables = " & .Tables & vbCrL
s &= "Supports Cookies = " & .Cookies & vbCrL
s &= "Supports VB Script = " & .VBScript & vbCrL
s &= "Supports JavaScript = " & .JavaScript & vbCrL
s &= "Supports Java Applets = " & .JavaApplets & vbCrL
s &= "Supports ActiveX Controls = " & .ActiveXControls & vbCrL
End Wit
TextBox1.Text =
End Su


HOW TO: Determine Browser Type in Server-Side Code Without the BrowserType
Object in ASP.NE

http://support.microsoft.com/default...kb;en-us;30657
"David Baker" <an*******@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9A**********************************@microsof t.com..

Hi all

I am very new to ASP.Net. I am trying to create a sniffer for our program.

We want our users to click our sniffer and hopefully the sniffer will
check their computer against our requirements. I would like to ask experts
like you to see which items are actually doable with ASP.Net. Below I
listed all of the items we are looking for but I can understand if some of
the items are impossible to check/sniff. We would like to create a sniffer
that returns the results for the below items

Broswer (minimum requirement is I.E. 6 for PC and Safari for Mac OS X

Browser type (This area will tell them what they have -AOL, MSN, IE...etc
and in the list returns a red gif image if they don't have IE 6 or Safari
Browser version (This area will tell them what version they have and again
returns a red gif image if they have an earlier version
Cookies (In this area we are basically trying to find out in the browser
window - just for IE - if their privacy setting is set to the following:
The window name is: Advanced Privacy Settings. We want "Override automatic
cookie handling" to be checked; first-party-cookies and
third-party-cookies radio buttons are checked and "Always allow session
cookies" are checked. We also want if our website is listed in the "Per
Site Privacy Actions" window (you can get to window by clicking in IE
Tools-Internet Options-Privacy-Websites-Edit)
Cache (In this area we are trying to find out if their "Temporary Internet
Files" settings is set to "Every visit to the page")
OS Version (This area will tell them what version they have and returns a
red gif image if they don't have Windows XP or Mac OS X)
Connection speed (This area will tell them what their connection speed is
and returns a red gif image if they have dial-up connection)
Display settings (This area will tell them what their screen resolution
is)
Service Pack ( This area will tell them if they have Service Pack 1 for
Windows XP)
Flash (This area will tell them if they have Flash plug-ins)
Java (This area will tell them if they have Java Virtual Machine)
Java Applets (This area will tell them if they have some of our applets
installed in this directory: C:\WINNT\Downloaded Program Files)
Java Script (This area will tell them if some of the items in browsers
"Security Setting" window (IE-Tools-Options-Security-Custom Level)
Adobe Acrobat Reader (This area will tell them if they have Acrobat Reader
6.0)
Do you have a media player? (This area will tell them if they have any
media player (Windows Media, Real player, Winamp...etc)
What program will open TIFs (This area will tell them what program is
associated to open with the files with the extension .tiff)
Firewall check (This area will tell them if they are behind a firewall)
Pop-up window check (This area will tell them if there is any program that
is blocking pop-up windows such as search toolbars)
Parasites (This are will tell them if they are infected with parasites)

Thank you in advance. Any ideas would help.
Dave Baker

[Ken Cox [Microsoft MVP]]

Hi Dave,

I think you're going to need an ActiveX control or a rich .NET client to get
what you need. You've got to search for stuff on the drive and in the
registry.

The control would be along the lines of what they use at Windows Update. The
user is going to have to accept the security warning in the browser before
the control can start scanning.

Ken
"David Baker" <an*******@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:96**********************************@microsof t.com...

Thank you both for replying. From what I understand from your replies, I
have two options: either use ASP.Net and create a server-side scripting
(which Kevin says it is difficult to accomplish) or create a client-side
scripting (using Active X or Jscript). Is that correct? If so, which path
do you recommend me to go?

Thanks a bunch, this information is very useful to get started.

Dave

[David Baker]

Thank you so much again. This information helps me a lot. Have a nice day

Dave