application/vnd.ms-excel
The MIME type for legacy Excel (.xls). Excel 97-2003 format — a prominent macro attack vector.
Typical extensions
Primary uses
- Legacy Excel distribution
- Output from older enterprise systems
In a browser
Downloads; Excel opens it when associated.
On a server
Mark as `Content-Disposition: attachment` and ship signed files when you can.
In email
Enterprise gateways enforce Protected View because of the macro risk.