From: "James P. Salsman" <bovik(_at_)best(_dot_)com>
A MUA might ask the console operator for permission to proceed when:
1. A mail message wants to run a program. (e.g., ECMAscripts.)
2. An attachment is executable. (Nearly universal practice.)
3. A program wants to write to a file. (Usually not trapped more
than once per execution if at all.)
4. A program wants to read your address book. (Does any mail system
that offers this functionality limit it at all?)
5. A program wants to send mail. (e.g., having MAPI's Send notify
the user and queue the proposed message as a draft instead of sending.)
6. A program wants to send a file to somewhere. Or any permanently stored
information (like cookie but not limited).
- Leonid Yegoshin.