Best practice for preventing virus infection is to never open an attachment from someone you don't know. It's a good idea to scan attachments even from known senders, especially if it's not a file you asked to receive or the cover note is suspicious.
The personal and server tools in this section are specifically designed to examine incoming e-mail for viruses, with the tools on this page designed to assist you in working around or avoiding problems with attachments and the Attachment security update. The Attachment Security update prevents Outlook users from launching files directly from e-mail messages. Outlook 98 and 2000 users should make sure that they have the latest updates affecting HTML mail.
Anti-virus Tools for Outlook – antivirus tools for use with Outlook. This includes tools for personal use.
Anti-virus Tools for Exchange server – tools for use at the server level, for Exchange and other email servers.
For information on specific viruses, see Viruses Affecting Microsoft Outlook.
Tools in the Spotlight
Use Advanced Security for Outlook to learn what programs are trying to access Outlook and permanently allow or deny access to the program and the next time it requests access, the action you choose will be automatically executed and Outlook Security will not annoy you with messages about trying to access e-mail addresses you have stored in Outlook. Freeware, available in English, German and Russian. Version 1. |
Tools
COM add-in by Outlook MVP Ken Slovak that adds an Attachment Security Options page to the Tools, Options dialog in Outlook 2000 SP3 or higher to allow you to manage which file attachments are blocked. New version adds support for the .gadget extension for Outlook 2003 SP3 and Outlook 2007 SP1. It also adds detection for those SP levels. Shareware. Version 1.9.6 | |
"Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachment ..." If you get this message when attempting to access an Outlook email attachment you'll want to install Attachment Security for Outlook; a free program for unlocking attachments blocked by Outlook. Attachment Security for Microsoft Outlook is a free and easy to use software program that allows you to open attachments blocked by Microsoft Outlook e-mail security. | |
AttachView allows OWA users to view documents as a secure web page without losing the ability to view Microsoft Word Track Changes revisions. Features include the ability to view revisions in Microsoft Word documents, view the revision date and author, color-coding differentiating revisions by author, at-a-glance, printable summary of revisions, hyperlinked index, Final and Markup document views. AttachView 8.5. Free trial is available. | |
Use CodeTwo Attach Unblocker to configure Microsoft Outlook to allow the openig of the attachments blocked by default (for example, .exe, .url, .reg). The program is an Outlook extension; its settings are available at the property sheet in the Outlook options, which ensures quick and convenient editing. Supports all versions of Outlook, including Outlook 2010 64-bit | |
Critical security patch for Outlook 98 to address a security issue related to file attachments received from the Internet. Not as restrictive as the Outlook Email Security Update. | |
This update for Outlook 97 and Outlook 98 forces users to save .exe and other program files, rather than running them from inside a mail message. Office 2000 Service Release 1 includes this update and enhances it so that you can bring more file types under its protection. See OL2000 Attachment Security Features Included in Service Release 1. | |
Extensive update for Outlook 2000 and Outlook 98 to lock down many parts of Outlook that make it possible for a virus to use Outlook to propagate. Install with greince it will change the behavior of some Outlook features and most add-ins. | |
Free tool for setting up how Microsoft Outlook block (or not) e-mail attachments. Get rid of the message "Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments". Beta | |
Developers can use this to avoid the security prompts in Outlook. | |
Plus Pack integrates key features such as Outlook-like addressing, global address list contacts, roaming personal dictionaries, and much more, transforming OWA into an intuitive, Outlook-like web mail application. | |
Plus Pack 2.4 for Exchange 2007 provides desktop Outlook functionality not previously available to the OWA user, including enhanced new mail notification, editable personal dictionaries, advanced calendar search, addressing enhancements and the ability to import special events and holidays. In addition, for OWA Light users, Plus Pack provides weekly and monthly calendar views, first-ever new mail notification and many other features. | |
Encrypts addresses in Outlook or Outlook Express address books and incoming messages to prevent viruses from spreading themselves, then decrypts the address in outgoing messages. After installation, users will need to enter a password when Outlook starts. Adds a security prompt for outgoing messages with attachments that could contain viruses. Works only with POP accounts and will probably cause problems with applications that use Outlook addresses. |
More Information
- Content Control Tools
- Protecting Microsoft Outlook against Viruses — comprehensive list of patches and settings
- GFI Email Security Testing Zone — free vulnerability tests
- Protect Against E-mail-based Viruses (.NET Magazine)
- XADM Calendar Items Disappear from User’s Folders – Do not use a file-level anti-virus program scan the Exchange 2000 M: drive.
Microsoft Anti-virus API:
- Microsoft Introduces New Antispam, Antivirus Features In Exchange Server 2003
- XGEN Microsoft’s Position on Antivirus Solutions for Exchange 2000
- XADM Autoforward Rules May Be Disabled When Using Antivirus API
- XADM Event Logging in Exchange 2000 Server SP1 for Virus Scanning API 2.0
- XADM MAPI Tasks Do Not Work with Virus API Anti-Virus Software Running on the Exchange Server Computer
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Last reviewed on Dec 8, 2011



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