Unsafe File Types
Microsoft has deemed email attachments with certain extensions to be unsafe. The SSU email server filters unsafe attachments from messages, and a notice that the attachment has been removed is inserted in the message.
SSU email users have seen an increasing number of viruses that use email to spread. This problem is not expected to diminish in the near future.
If you need to send a file attachment with one of these extensions, you can rename the file so that it no longer has the original extension. In the message body you can include instructions for renaming the file back to its original name.
General Advice on File Attachments in Email Messages
- If you receive a message with one of these unsafe attachments, don’t open the attachment. Delete the attachment.
- If you receive any file attachment from someone you don’t know or if you know the person but are not expecting a file, don’t open the attachment.
Microsoft classifies the following extensions as unsafe.
Possible Unsafe Extensions
- .ade
- Microsoft Access project extension
- .adp
- Microsoft Access project
- .bas
- Microsoft Visual Basic class module
- .bat
- Batch file
- .chm
- Compiled HTML Help file
- .cmd
- Microsoft Windows NT Command script
- .com
- Microsoft MS-DOS program
- .cpl
- Control Panel extension
- .crt
- Security certificate
- .exe
- Program
- .hlp
- Help file
- .hta
- HTML program
- .inf
- Setup Information
- .ins
- Internet Naming Service
- .isp
- Internet Communication settings
- .js
- JScript file
- .jse
- Jscript Encoded Script file
- .lnk
- Shortcut
- .mdb
- Microsoft Access program
- .mde
- Microsoft Access MDE database
- .msc
- Microsoft Common Console document
- .msi
- Microsoft Windows Installer package
- .msp
- Microsoft Windows Installer patch
- .mst
- Microsoft Visual Test source files
- .pcd
- Photo CD image, Microsoft Visual compiled script
- .pif
- Shortcut to MS-DOS program
- .reg
- Registration entries
- .scr
- Screen saver
- .sct
- Windows Script Component
- .shb
- Shell Scrap object
- .shs
- Shell Scrap object
- .url
- Internet shortcut
- .vb
- VBScript file
- .vbe
- VBScript Encoded script file
- .vbs
- VBScript file
- .wsc
- Windows Script Component
- .wsf
- Windows Script file
- .wsh
- Windows Script Host Settings file