Attachment Filtering
The University's electronic mail systems automatically remove some files attached to email messages because such attachments may contain computer viruses, worms, or other potentially harmful software code.
The University's electronic mail systems remove any files attached to email messages with the following extensions:
| Extension | Description |
|---|---|
| .bas | BASIC source code |
| .bat | batch file |
| .chm | Ares Font Chameleon Source Font |
| .cmd | command file |
| .com | DOS/Windows executable file |
| .cpl | Windows Control Panel |
| .crt | Certificate file |
| .exe | executable |
| .hlp | Windows Help File |
| .hta | Herma Thumbnail Archive |
| .inf | Installation script |
| .ins | Installation script |
| .isp | IIS Service Provider Settings |
| .js | JavaScript file |
| .jse | Encoded JavaScript file |
| .msc | Microsoft Management Console Snap-in |
| .msi | Microsoft Installer |
| .msp | MS Paint Bitmap |
| .mst | ChemFinder Chemical Structure Index |
| .pif | program information file |
| .pcd | Photo-CD Image |
| .rar | Compressed file format |
| .reg | Registry |
| .scr | screen saver |
| .sct | FoxPro screen |
| .shb | Corel Background file |
| .shs | Shell Scrap Object |
| .vb | Visual Basic source file |
| .vbe | Encoded Visual Basic script |
| .vbs | Visual Basic Script file |
| .wsc | Windows scripting host |
| .wsf | Windows scripting host |
| .wsh | Windows scripting host |
University students, faculty, and staff receive email messages daily that have attached documents, photos, or other electronic files as part of their jobs or coursework. Sometimes users will receive a destructive attachment, sent either intentionally by someone the user does not know or unintentionally by someone who has fallen victim to an email virus. These malicious attachments are aimed at accessing email messages and personal files and doing harm to the University computing environment.
If a file attached to an email message is removed, the user will see the following text as part of the email message instead of the attachment:
IMPORTANT: An attachment included with this message has been automatically removed by the University's electronic mail systems because such attachments may contain computer viruses, worms, or other potentially malicious software code. If you were expecting to receive a message from this sender including an attached executable file (.exe), batch file (.bat), or others, and you know the identity of the sender, you should contact the sender to make other arrangements to receive the file.
Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412 624-HELP [4357] for additional information or assistance. Further information on message attachment removal is available online at http://technology.pitt.edu/email-accounts/email/attachment-filtering.html. Thank you.
If the sender is someone you know and you were expecting to receive a message from this person including an attached executable file (.exe), screensaver (.scr), or others, you can always check with that person after you have deleted the message to determine whether the attachment was sent intentionally. It is better to make other arrangements to have the attachment sent than to risk exposing your computer to a virus.