AutoPreview and Web Bugs

[Phil]

I've found info about the security problem with the
preview pane being active and "web bugs" being sent back
to spammers verifying that the email address is active.
However, I haven't found an answer about using the
AutoPreview. Can a hidden .gif (web bug) be activated in
the html code using the autopreview?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No, because AutoPreview reads only the plain text representation of the
message.

 

[Don 'Bear' Wilkinson]

Esteemed Outlook Guru Sue!

I must be underinformed or confused. I read Phil to be referring to the
Preview Pane, which as far as I can see, does indeed render the HTML
part of the message, and therefore is susceptible to web bugs and other
malcode invasions. This has been common, and I presumed valid,
knowledge for a while.

This is not the same as AutoPreview which displays the first few lines
of each message under the message 'headers' in a listing of message in a
folder.

Bear

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

He asked about AutoPreview, not the Preview Pane. They're two separate
features.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Don 'Bear' Wilkinson]

I appreciate your perspective. The Subject of his message misleadingly
referred to AutoPreview. But the body of the message clued me into the
idea that he was talking about the preview pane.