Sending and Receiving File Attachments

 

Due to the growing number of computer viruses that generate email with potentially malicious attachments, the IU Email administrators have begun blocking all messages that contain an attachment with a file name extension on the list below. Note: the entire message is blocked, not just the attachment.

 

If you must send an attachment that uses one of the blocked file names you must rename the file with a "safe" file name extension such as ".txt" so the filename might be changed from "article.zip" to "article.txt". You would then include instructions in your email so the recipient will know to rename it back to "article.zip" before trying to use it.

 

Anyone sending you emails with one of these file types must also rename the attachment to a "safe" name and let you know what the original name was so that you can rename it before using it.

For those of you who depend on receiving unsolicited emails with attachments containing articles or papers for your journals or for other necessary academic business my only suggestion at this point is this: web sites and journals that solicit papers or information that might be sent as attachments should include instructions on how to rename attachments so they are not blocked. You may include a link to this page if you wish.
http://www.indiana.edu/~econweb/fileattachments.html

It is somewhat unclear at this time whether either the sender or intended recipient of an email with a blocked attachment will receive notice. My best understanding is that the intended recipient will not know the email was blocked. Some senders, depending on their email system, may be informed that the email was not delivered, and some will not be informed.

 

The following is the list of blocked attachment file types as of March 2004:

 

ade - MS Access project extension

adp - MS Access project

app - MS FoxPro-generated application

asp - MS Active Server page

bas - MS Visual Basic class module

bat - Batch file

chm - Compiled HTML Help file

cmd - MS Windows NT command script

com - MS MS-DOS program

cpl - Control Panel extension

crt - Security certificate

csh - Unix shell script

exe - Executable file or program

fxp - MS FoxPro file

hlp - Help file

hta - HTML program

htr - HTML-like script

inf - Setup information

ins - Internet naming service

isp - Internet communication settings

jar - java archive file

js -  Jscript file

jse - Jscript-encoded script file

ksh - Unix shell script

lnk - Shortcut file

mda - MS Access add-in program

mdb - MS Access program

mde - MS Access MDE database

mdt - MS Access file

mdw - MS Access file

mdz - MS Access wizard program

msc - MS Common Console document

msi - Windows Installer package

msp - Windows Installer patch

mst - Visual Test source files

ops - FoxPro file

pcd - Photo CD image or MS Visual Test compiled script

pif - Shortcut to MS-DOS program

prf - MS Outlook Profile Settings

prg - FoxPro program source file

ar - Winrar Archive

reg - Registration entries

scf - Windows Explorer Command file

scr - Screen saver

sct - Windows script component

shb - Shortcut into a document

shs - Shell scrap object

url - Internet shortcut

vb - VBScript file

vbe - VBScript-encoded script file

vbs - VBScript file

wsc - Windows script component

wsf - Windows script file

wsh - Windows script host settings file

xsl - XML file that can contain compressed script zip file

zip – Archived files generated by PKZip, PowerZip and others.