Q831167 - Wininet retries POST requests with a blank header

Thanks freakyfriday. Programs that use Wininet functions to post data (such as a user name or a password) to a Web server retry the POST request with a blank header if the Web server closes (or resets) the initial connection request.

Note A POST request has a blank header if its content length is set to 0 or is empty.

Sometimes, this behavior prevents another reset from occurring and permits authentication to complete. However, you may receive an HTTP 500 (Internal server error) Web page if the Web server must have the POST data included when Wininet retries the POST request.

For example, when you submit your user name and password to an SSL-secured Web site by using a form on a HTTPS Web page, Microsoft Internet Explorer may not resend this information to the Web server if the initial connection is closed (or reset).

This problem occurs after you apply the 832894 security update (MS04-004) or the 821814 hotfix.