Scanning emails in Microsoft Office Outlook

During installation of Kaspersky Endpoint Security, the Mail Threat Protection extension is embedded into Microsoft Office Outlook (hereinafter also referred to as Outlook). It allows you to open the Mail Threat Protection component settings from within Outlook, and to specify when email messages are to be scanned for viruses and other threats. The Mail Threat Protection extension for Outlook can scan incoming and outgoing messages that are transmitted via the POP3, SMTP, NNTP, IMAP, and MAPI protocols. Kaspersky Endpoint Security also supports working with other email clients (including Microsoft Outlook Express®, Windows Mail, and Mozilla™ Thunderbird™).

The Mail Threat Protection extension supports operations with Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019.

When working with the Mozilla Thunderbird mail client, the Mail Threat Protection component does not scan messages that are transmitted via the IMAP protocol for viruses and other threats if filters are used to move messages from the Inbox folder.

In Outlook, incoming messages are first scanned by the Mail Threat Protection component (if the Scan POP3, SMTP, NNTP, and IMAP traffic check box is selected in the interface of Kaspersky Endpoint Security) and then by the Mail Threat Protection extension for Outlook. If the Mail Threat Protection component detects a malicious object in a message, it notifies you about this event.

The Mail Threat Protection component settings can be configured directly in Outlook if the Microsoft Outlook extension is connected in the Kaspersky Endpoint Security interface.

Outgoing messages are first scanned by the Mail Threat Protection extension for Outlook, and are then scanned by the Mail Threat Protection component.

If mail is scanned using the Mail Threat Protection extension for Outlook, it is recommended to use Cached Exchange Mode. For more detailed information about Cached Exchange Mode and recommendations on its use, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

To configure the operating mode of the Mail Threat Protection extension for Outlook using Kaspersky Security Center:

  1. Open the Kaspersky Security Center Administration Console.
  2. In the Managed devices folder in the Administration Console tree, open the folder with the name of the administration group to which the relevant client computers belong.
  3. In the workspace, select the Policies tab.
  4. Select the necessary policy and double-click to open the policy properties.
  5. In the policy window, select Essential Threat Protection → Mail Threat Protection.
  6. In the Security level section, click the Settings button.

    The Mail Threat Protection window opens.

  7. In the Connectivity section, click the Settings button.
  8. In the Email protection window:
    • Select the Scan when receiving check box if you want the Mail Threat Protection extension for Outlook to scan incoming messages as they arrive to the mailbox.
    • Select the Scan when reading check box if you want the Mail Threat Protection extension for Outlook to scan incoming messages when the user opens them.
    • Select the Scan when sending check box if you want the Mail Threat Protection extension for Outlook to scan outgoing messages as they are sent.
  9. Save your changes.
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