Microsoft KB Archive/274851

= INFO: CGI Support Guidelines =

Article ID: 274851

Article Last Modified on 12/3/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Internet Information Server 1.0
 * Microsoft Internet Information Server 2.0
 * Microsoft Internet Information Server 3.0
 * Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
 * Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.1
 * Microsoft Internet Information Services 6.0

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This article was previously published under Q274851



We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. IIS 6.0 significantly increases Web infrastructure security. For more information about IIS security-related topics, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/IIS.mspx



SUMMARY
This document clarifies Microsoft support guidelines on Common Gateway Interface (CGI) issues.



MORE INFORMATION
CGI executables are .exe files that run in response to a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request. CGI executables communicate with Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) by using standard input (STDIN) and standard output (STDOUT). CGI executables receive much of their information about the request from environment variables. Microsoft supports the CGI interface that is provided by IIS.

Microsoft provides several levels of support for the following CGI issues:
 * No CGI applications work:

This is a configuration issue that Microsoft Support can address.
 * A CGI application fails because of the IIS implementation of the CGI Interface:

Because the CGI interface is supported, Microsoft supports this.
 * Debugging CGI applications:

Microsoft Support can help you set up the CGI debug environment. For more information about how to debug CGI applications, see the &quot;References&quot; section.

Microsoft does not provide support for the following:
 * Debugging custom code.
 * CGI applications that are developed by a third party.

