The recipient receives an "Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments" error message when you send an e-mail message that contains a shortcut to a file in Outlook 2002 and Outlook 2003 (284414)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Outlook 2002
Microsoft Office Outlook 2003

This article was previously published under Q284414

SYMPTOMS

When you send a message that contains a shortcut to a file, by right-clicking the original file, dragging the file to the Inbox folder in Microsoft Outlook, and clicking Send with Shortcut, the recipient may receive the following message in the info box of the e-mail message:

Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments:

The recipient may not receive any message and the attachment will be unavailable.

CAUSE

This behavior is by design. Creating a shortcut by this method does not create a .lnk file. Shortcuts are recognized as linked files by the programand areconsidered as a Level 1 file attachment and potentially harmful.

Note Shortcuts with the file extension of .lnk or .url are level 1 e-mail attachment types and will not be available to the recipient.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue and share files, post the files to a secure network share. In your e-mail message you can include a link to the share that you have given the recipient access to.

MORE INFORMATION

Outlook blocks access to this kind of attachment so that the recipient is unable to open it. However, if you drag an existing shortcut for the same kind of file into a message and then send the file, the recipient may be able to open the file.

Note The option to send the shortcut using this drag and drop method is not available.

Microsoft has classified dozens of file types as being Level 1 security risks, including files with .mdb, .mde, .ade, or .adp extensions.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	11/1/2004
Keywords:	kbattachments kbBackup kbfunclookup KbSECVulnerability kbAudit kbprb KB284414