These guidelines apply to people at the University of Connecticut who use Microsoft Outlook to process e-mail messages. Some of the guidelines may also be appropriate for other e-mail software programs that function in ways that are similar to Outlook.

• Configure email programs (Outlook) to not render html or other scripting languages. Consider not using the preview view. Delete email from unknown senders or suspicious emails that contain attachments even if it appears to be from people you know.
• If using Outlook or similar e-mail programs, keep the inbox "preview pane" closed to prevent certain types of malicious code from executing anytime that you select a new message.
• One approach to handling suspect e-mail in Outlook is based on UCONN's use of e-mail filtering software to screen e-mail and identify suspect messages:
• In Outlook, define a new folder that you will use for suspect messages. (Call it "Junk," "Suspect," "BadStuff," whatever works for you.)
• Set your Inbox preview pane to "off".
• Set the preview pane for the "Junk" folder to "off".
• Define a message processing rule that examines the subject line of each new message, identifies all message subjects that contain "{SPAM?}" or "{VIRUS?}" and sends these messages to the "Junk" folder.
• Periodically, review the subject lines of the messages in the "Junk" folder and delete the messages that are obviously of no interest. Do NOT open a message unless you believe that it is harmless and that it is really a message that you want.

Last updated on June 17, 2004,