Microsoft Outlook 2000 Service Release Attachment Filetypes Restricted by the Security Update Forrest Stroud
Attachment Filetypes Restricted by the Security Update
The Outlook E-mail Security Update protects users from a wide variety of virus attacks, but the price for this is that Outlook users are prevented from accessing most attachments. Any attachment deemed unsafe by the OESU becomes completely inaccessible after the update has been installed, meaning you cannot save, delete, open, print, forward, or otherwise manipulate the attachments.
The Outlook Service Release protects users from viruses like NewLove, LoveLetter, and Melissa by eliminating access to attachments that use a .vbs (Visual Basic Script) extension. Newer viruses like Stages are prevented from running by the OESU's restriction on attachments with an .shs (Shell Scrap Object) extension. These types of extensions are placed on the Level 1 security list by the Outlook E-mail Security Update.
Additional extensions that are restricted by the service release's Level 1 list include .bat Batch files; .com DOS applications; .exe Windows applications; .reg Registration Entries; .pcd Photo CD Images; .js and .jse JScript files; .lnk Windows shortcuts; .url Internet shortcuts; .pif DOS shortcuts; .scr Screen Savers; .inf Setup Information Files; .wsh and .wsc Windows Scripting files; .ade, .adp, .mdb, and .mde Microsoft Access files; .bas Visual Basic Class Modules; .chm Compiled HTML Help Files; .cmb Command Scripts; .cpl Control Panel Extensions; .crt Security Certificates; .msi Windows Installer packages; .hlp Windows Help Files; HTML applications; and several others.
Administrators can also add their own extensions to the list of restricted attachments. These are placed on the Level 2 security list (as opposed to the default extensions listed above that are on the Level 1 list). Attachments with extensions on the Level 2 list cannot be opened directly by Outlook; however, users can save the attachments to disk and then open them with the application that is associated with the extension.
