What version of Outlook?
Outlook 97 - safe
Outlook 98 - mostly safe only with all the latest patches for Outlook and
IE. Use Chilton Preview for 100% security since it doesn't render HTML.
Outlook 2000/2002 - safest with all latest patches, use Chilton for maximum
security. Only unblock the attachment types you need.
Outlook 2003 - very safe to date. Make sure you have the latest patches for
IE installed and only unblock the attachment types you need. Leave
downloaded content on the default settings and enable it per message, not
using trusted senders etc.
Both 2002 and 2003 allow you use a read as plain setting to force all mail
to plain text - this makes the preview pane 100% safe, but it's hard to
convert back to HTML in ol2002. Chilton preview is a better option for 2002.
Keeping your AV program on Autoprotect and updated with the latest
definitions is a good idea too. if you don't have an AV, MS and e-trust are
offering one free for 1 year.
http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/
--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
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