Windows 7: Adobe PDF Security problem - IE

How does one prevent internet explorer from automatically downloading and opening a PDF file?

For example, I click on a link which I do NOT know is a PDF file. I am not given the option to SAVE the file. Instead, it is automatically downloaded and then Adobe PDF opens up in a seperate window.

How do I disable this?

I have disabled the plug in/add on in IE. With FireFox I was able to set the plug in so that it would always ASK me what to do if it detected I was going to look at a PDF. I could either open it or save it. IE does not give me that option.

While this is an old issue ... in case anyone does get to this post.. hopefully it will help you and you'll be done.

First .. open Acrobat (run as administrator if needed) go to Edit -> Preferences ... left side select Internet ... DISABLE the View In Browser option (remove check)

Next
Open regedit (run as administrator)
starting from the TOP LEFT ... open the HKey_Classes_Root tree .. then CLICK HKey_Classes_Root so it is highlighted .... start typing the letters for acrobat (usually just typing A C R O will get you into the right area)

TWO Keys need to be edited ....
HKCR \ AcroExch.Document and
HKCR \ AcroExch.Document.7

if you don't have .7, you may have .8, .9 or .something.

In the two AcroExch.Document keys you want to change the EditFlags entry.

EditFlags is type Reg_Binary and normally 0010 or 00 00 01 00

you want it to be 0000 or 00 00 00 00

Exit the editor, and you should restart the PC for good measure, but from this point forward, links clicked in a browser (especially IE) should prompt you for Open/Save/Cancel.

You **WILL** have to do this again any time you update / upgrade. You can Export the two keys (right click HKCR\AcroExch.Document -> Export) and then edit the two files into ONE and save the combined key registry file in your Documents folder or the like ... then after updating / upgrading Reader .. double click the registry file and allow it to be merged back to the registry.

ANYONE getting to this post.. PLEASE post a complaint with Adobe for not making these options defaulted at requiring user interaction. It was a mistake when they integrated into the browser, and its even worse that they default a potentially malicious file to auto-download AND auto-open ...

Any Lawyers want to take up a class action against adobe .. just need to find a bunch of people that have been infected through PDF's to go up against goliath.

I searched for and found a simple registry edit/file:
-----------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions]
"AlwaysPromptWhenDownload"=dword:00000001
----------------------------------------------

This affects many file types, not just PDFs (zip, mp3, pdf, others). I love to click on files and not have to wait for a program to open and "play" them. This change allows you you see an open/save dialog so you can decide what to do each time.