opabinia

Question:

-----Original Message-----
From: Lepidosiren
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 10:06 AM
To: web-unblock
Subject: hotmail

I'm concerned about the repeated filtering of web mail. Much of my business-related communication goes through my Hotmail account [I'm seriously. -- Ed.], and my interaction with other laboratories has been hampered. [This is true, though I'm emphasizing it a little. -- Ed.]

Hotmail requires the user to actively download any attachment -- it does not open attachments automatically. It is my understanding that the vulnerabilities of Windows machines to viruses are more often than not a problem with the way Outlook [*ahem* The program used for work email here. -- Ed.] handles attachments.

In any case, would it be possible to un-filter Hotmail, and perhaps use another approach (other than filtering out all web mail) for preventing the spread of viruses in our network? New viruses appear so often, the interruption of web mail services with each outbreak can become difficult to work around. Thanks! :)

Answer (four days later):

In order to prevent the spread of the "W32.SWEN" email virus, we are temporarily blocking access to Internet e-mail providers such as Hotmail, MSMail, and AOLMail until the virus is remediated. Tufts-NEMC's policy to block access to external mail services will be re-evaluated at the end of the week.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.
Tufts-NEMC Information Security Team

***

(Aside from the statement about reviewing the policy at the end of the week (I don't believe you), This response is literally a cut-and-paste from our Intranet home page. Thanks!)