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More documentation and announcements can be found on the UTS Website at [http://www.oakland.edu/uts]

Topic: Help Documentation

Audience: Students, Faculty and Staff

Date: June 25, 2004

Email FILE ATTACHMENTS

This document contains detailed information about Email attachments. Given the number of viruses that are transmitted via attachments, many Email service providers now limit attachments to those of low-risk types.

OU Attachments

Messages that contain the attachment with specific file extensions will have the attachment stripped off and just the text body of the message sent. The OU Email system now strips off attachments of types known to be potential viral transport media.

Attachment types that are deleted are:

  • *.bat
  • *.com
  • *.exe
  • *.inf
  • *.pif
  • *.reg
  • *.wsh
  • *.vbs
  • *.zip
  • *.scr

What is the alternative?

If you and a recipient agree to share a file, such as a .zip file, you can follow these steps:

  1. Rename the file extension from .zip to a personal value that you choose (example - .myfile). Use an extension value that is not on the delete list.
  2. Attach the .myfile file in your Email.
  3. In the Email text, let your recipient know the correct file extension.
  4. The recipient receives the file and renames the file back to the correct extension.

If you are expecting an Email with any of the attachments above then inform the sender to follow the same procedure as

explained above. In a sense, you create a private key that you and the recipient share. This allows you to have a level of

personally set security on your computer.

You can also transfer files using Secure File Transfer Protocol, and this method is preferred. Information about SFTP can

be found by clicking on the following links:

[http://help.oakland.edu/kb/WinSCPUSE/ How Do I Use WinSCP for Secure FTP (Win)?]

[http://help.oakland.edu/kb/FUGUFTP/ How Do I use Fugu for Secure FTP (Mac)?]

If you have any questions about the attachments or if you need assistance, call the Helpdesk at

248-370-4357 or Email to [email protected]