Microsoft KB Archive/235309

= Outlook E-mail Attachment Security Update =

Article ID: 235309

Article Last Modified on 1/24/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Outlook 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Outlook 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Outlook 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q235309



IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



SUMMARY
This article describes Microsoft Outlook security updates that increase the security protection for certain types of e-mail attachments. Separate updates are available, depending on your version of Outlook.



MORE INFORMATION
CAUTION: It is very important that you install the update that is specifically developed for your version of Outlook. To determine your version of Outlook, on the Help menu, click About Microsoft Outlook. The version determines which update applies to your product. Next, read the section below that describes the update for your version of Outlook. The more recent update provides the highest level of security protection; however, depending on how you use Outlook, you may choose to use the earlier update.

For the Microsoft Outlook 98 July 1999 update:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/outlook98/Update/98/WIN98/EN-US/o98Attch.exe

For the Microsoft Outlook 98 June 2000 update:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=48B0BC6A-B123-4F48-B27D-119078B4819F&displaylang=EN

For the Microsoft Outlook 2000 update:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=96DF48A9-7638-429E-816E-35F16F6528CA&displaylang=EN

The Windows Installer technology that is used with Microsoft Office 2000 and Outlook 2000 requires that you insert the CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive when you install this update. This is due to validation requirements within the Installer engine.

For Microsoft Outlook Express:

For information about security enhancements for Outlook Express, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

267580 OLEXP: Information About the Outlook Express Security Patch

Outlook 97 and Outlook 98 July 1999 Updates
This section describes issues about the security update for Outlook 97 and Outlook 98, as first released in June 1999 and then later updated in July 1999.

After you install this version of the security update, when you open attachments with file name extensions of .ade, .adp, .bas, .bat, .chm, .cmd, .com, .cpl, .crt, .exe, .hlp, .hta, .inf, .ins, .isp, .js, .jse, .lnk, .mda, .mdb, .mde, .mdz, .msc, .msi, .msp, .mst, .pcd, .pif, .reg, .scr, .sct, .shs, .url, .vb, .vbe, .vbs, .wsc, .wsf or .wsh, you receive the following warning message:

Attachment Security Warning

WARNING!

The file may contain a virus that can be harmful to your computer. It is important to be very certain that this file is safe before you open it. You must save this file to disk before it can be opened.

Filename:

Type:

To save the attachment, click Save to Disk.

CAUTION: The attachment warning message runs for all attachments that have executable file name extensions. It does not detect or clean a virus from an infected attachment. If you save a file that has a virus and then run it from the disk, your computer is still infected with the virus. When you save the file to disk, it is simply an extra chance to consider the safety of the attached file. You must still use an updated virus scanning program to check the file for a possible virus.

Microsoft Office files (files with a .doc, .xls, or .ppt file name extension), scrap object files (files with a .shs file name extension) and script files (files with a .vbs file name extension) are not affected by this update and function just as they did before you installed the update. To control macro behavior for Office documents, set the security level in the individual Office program.

How to Turn Off the Outlook 97 and 98 E-mail Attachment Security Update
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To turn off the Attachment Security Update after you install it:  Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK. Locate and click the following registry key: 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook

If this registry key is not present, right-click the Office registry key, point to New on the shortcut menu, click Key, type Outlook for the name of the new registry key, and then press ENTER. Click the Outlook key, and then point to New on the Edit menu. Click DWORD Value, type OldAttachmentDialog, and then press ENTER. Double-click OldAttachmentDialog, type 1 in the Value Data box, and then click OK. Quit Registry Editor.</li></ol>

Version Information for July 1999 Update
After you install the patch on a computer that is running Outlook 97, if you click About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu, the version information changes to 8.04.6614 or later.

Outlook 98 June 2000 Update
The Outlook 98 E-mail Security Update was released on June 7, 2000. This later security update provides protection from most viruses, such as the ILOVEYOU virus and the Melissa virus, as well as other viruses that spread through e-mail, or worm viruses that can replicate through Outlook. For additional information about the Outlook 98 E-mail Security Update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

262617 OL98: Information About the Outlook E-mail Security Update

Outlook 2000 June Update
The Outlook 2000 E-mail Security Update was re-released on August 16, 2001. This security update provides protection from most viruses, such as the ILOVEYOU virus and the Melissa virus, as well as other viruses that spread through e-mail, or worm viruses that can replicate through Outlook. For additional information about the Outlook 2000 E-mail Security Update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

262631 OL2000: Information About the Outlook E-mail Security Update

Additional query words: 98 OL2K

Keywords: kbdownload kbhowto kbsecurity KB235309

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