Use antivirus protection in Outlook Express 6

This article describes some of the components in Microsoft Outlook Express 6 built to protect you against viruses spread by e-mail .

Virus Protection in Outlook Express 6 is on the Security tab of the Tools > Options dialog box.

Using Internet Explorer Security Zone disables activation content in e-mail Hyper Markup Language (HTLM)

Security zones allow you to choose which content to enable (such as ActiveX Control and script controls) that can be run inside HTML e-mail in Outlook Express. By default Outlook Express 6 uses Restricted Zone instead of Internet Zone. Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 and Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 use Internet Zone, allowing most activation content to work. To customize Internet Explorer security zone settings for Outlook Express, do the following:

Warning : Changing security zones settings can jeopardize your computer with potentially compromised source code. Be cautious when changing these settings.

1. Start Outlook Express, on the Tools menu, select Options .
2. Click on the Security tab , select Restricted Sites Zone or Internet Zone (less secure but more features) in the Virus Protection section under Select the Internet Explorer security zone to use .
3. Click OK to close the Options dialog box and exit Outlook Express.
4. Start Internet Explorer, select Internet Options on the Tools menu, click Security .
5. Select Custom Level for the security zone you selected in Outlook Express. The security settings selected for Outlook Express also work with Internet Explorer.

Read the entire message in plain text format (Service Pack 1 only)

Starting with Service Pack 1, you can configure Outlook Express to read the entire e-mail in plain text format. When using this feature, some HTML e-mails may not be displayed correctly and fully, but no virus-enabled content can be run. Do as follows:

1. Start Outlook Express. On the Tools menu, select Options .
2. Click the Read tab , select Read all messages in plain text under Reading Messages .
3. Click OK .

Prevent automated programs from incoming e-mail without your consent

If you configure Outlook Express as a default e-mail controller (or a simple MAPI client) on the General label, Outlook Express will make the request using Simple MAPI calls. Some viruses can take advantage of this feature and spread by sending copied e-mails containing viruses to your contacts address. By default Outlook Express 6 prevents e-mail from being sent by displaying a dialog box that allows you to choose whether or not to send the e-mail.

Use Internet Explorer Unsafe File List to filter e-mail attachments

1. Start Outlook Express. On the Tools menu, click Options .
2. On the Security tab , select Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could be a virus under Virus Protection .

This option is set by default in Outlook Express Service Pack 1 (SP1). If you enable this option, Outlook Express will use the function to list unsafe files in Internet Explorer 6 and Confirm open after download settings in Folder Options to determine whether a file is safe or not. Any attachments that are rated "unsafe" will be removed from the download process.

Note : The unsafe file list in Internet Explorer 6 includes only files with scripts or codes associated with them. To add some file types to the list or remove it from the remove list, do the following:

1. Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel or Start > Control Panel (or switch to Classic View , View All Control Panel Options ).
2. Double click on Folder Options .
3. On the File Types tab, click to select the type you want to remove or allow and then select Advanced. If the file type you want is not in the list, perform the following steps:
   a. Select New .
   b. In the Create New Extension dialog box, type the name of the extension file you want to add to the unsafe list.
   c. Click OK > Advanced .
4. Check (remove) or uncheck (allow) before Confirm open after download box .

Note : You cannot remove some files from the unsafe list by removing the check mark in the Confirm open after download checkbox. For example, the .exe file type that is set by default is in the unsafe list of Internet Explorer and cannot be taken out of the list.

Determine when Outlook Express removes an attachment

When Outlook Express removes an attachment, the following warning is displayed in the header:

Outlook Express được gỡ bỏ truy cập đến những unsafe sau theo sau trong thư mục này: file_name1, file_name2, and so on .
(Outlook Express has removed access to the following unsafe attachments in your e-mail: name_file_1 , ten_file_2 , .).