Reading Pane and Viruses

[Zortex]

I've heard the comment that enabling "Reading Pane" in Outlook 2003 is a
potential risk in case an infected email is sent to a user. Is this true?
Are there any well-known web sites that I can refer to in order to justify
turning Reading Pane on or off?

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

No, it's not true. In fact, it's a tad safer to use the reading pane.
http://www.slipstick.com/emo/2005/up050120.htm#preview
http://www.slipstick.com/emo/2004/up040204.htm#preview


--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/

 

[Guest]

The reading pane is safe from all KNOWN threats. The next NEW virus/trojan,
or malicious code that MS hasn't patched for, that comes down the pike will
infect the machine just by previewing it. Of course, in the IT biz, this is
know as Job Security.

No, it's not true. In fact, it's a tad safer to use the reading pane.
http://www.slipstick.com/emo/2005/up050120.htm#preview
http://www.slipstick.com/emo/2004/up040204.htm#preview


--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/

I've heard the comment that enabling "Reading Pane" in Outlook 2003 is a
potential risk in case an infected email is sent to a user. Is this true?
Are there any well-known web sites that I can refer to in order to justify
turning Reading Pane on or off?

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

I call it cover your @**. The minute anyone says it's 100% safe, a
clever hacker might discover a previously unknown hole that does not require
user intervention and only works in preview, not opened messages. The
chances of that happening anytime soon are down in the slim and none range
with current versions. Any administrator who disables preview solely for
security reasons is not a very good administrator but there are a few valid
business reasons for not allowing previews - the first is to force the
return of read receipts.


--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/

The reading pane is safe from all KNOWN threats. The next NEW
virus/trojan,
or malicious code that MS hasn't patched for, that comes down the pike
will
infect the machine just by previewing it. Of course, in the IT biz, this
is
know as Job Security.

No, it's not true. In fact, it's a tad safer to use the reading pane.
http://www.slipstick.com/emo/2005/up050120.htm#preview
http://www.slipstick.com/emo/2004/up040204.htm#preview


--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/

I've heard the comment that enabling "Reading Pane" in Outlook 2003 is
a
potential risk in case an infected email is sent to a user. Is this
true?
Are there any well-known web sites that I can refer to in order to
justify
turning Reading Pane on or off?

 

[Brian Tillman]

The reading pane is safe from all KNOWN threats. The next NEW
virus/trojan, or malicious code that MS hasn't patched for, that
comes down the pike will infect the machine just by previewing it.

Unlikely, though, since the Reading Pane no longer runs active content
(which Outlook never should have done in the first place).