Attachment Cleaning

To help keep your inbox safe, your organization may apply an Attachment Cleaning policy to your email attachments. This process reduces security risks by removing harmful content before the files are delivered to you.

Why Attachments Get Cleaned

Email attachments can sometimes include hidden threats, such as:

• Macros: Small programs that can execute harmful code.

• Embedded Content: Scripts or objects that may carry malware.

• Links: URLs that might lead to phishing sites or unsafe downloads of malicious files.

What Happens to Your Files

Depending on your organization’s security settings, files are processed in one of two ways:

• Cleaned:

  • Risky elements (like macros or scripts) are removed.

  • The file type remains unchanged (for example, a Word document stays a Word document).

  Example: A DOC file with macros is cleaned to a DOC file without any macros or embedded content.

• Converted to PDF:

  • The file is converted into a PDF and removes active content.

  • The PDF is safer to open but may lose certain features (like clickable links).

  Example: An Excel file with embedded links becomes a simple PDF without clickable content.

What You Need to Do

Nothing—this happens automatically! If a file looks different (for example, missing links or buttons), it’s due to the security process.

Note - Depending on your organization’s policy, you may be able to request the original version of a cleaned file if necessary.

User Experience for Attachment Cleaning

To request to restore the original email:

1. Click the link below the attachment in the email.

   

2. If prompted, enter the reason for restoring the attachment, and click Submit.

   After you submit, the administrator receives the request.

   After the administrator approves the request, the system delivers the original email to mailbox.

3. If the is configured such that it does not require administrator's approval to restore the attachment, the original email is delivered to the user immediately.