When Microsoft updated Microsoft Outlook to harden its default security settings, one of the changes they made was to prompt the user whenever a program tried to use Microsoft Outlook to send email.
In the abstract, this is good news, because it alerts the user to the possibility that a program may be trying to hijack Microsoft Outlook for its own nefarious ends --e.g., as an automated spamming engine might.
Unfortunately, if you have several programs that do this routinely, and you don't enjoy dealing with the hassle of granting permission over and over again, this can get tedious.
To alleviate some of this headache, a company called Context Magic has created a utility named ClickYes Pro. The idea behind ClickYes is simple: it manages which third-party applications do not need your permission to use Microsoft Outlook, and does so in a way that doesn't expose Microsoft Outlook to a raft of new security issues.
ClickYes comes in two editions:
- The basic version, Express ClickYes, is free. It gets rid of the security warnings on demand, but does not have the ability to control which programs are allowed or not allowed to use Microsoft Outlook; it's all or nothing.
- The Pro version is available in a free trial and can be purchased for one desktop for $20 (with discounts available). It lets you screen access by application, works through Terminal Server connections, eliminates the five-second mail-sending delay, and has a number of other bonus features.
Both versions of the program work with Outlook 2000, Outlook 2002 and Outlook 2003 interchangeably. Each version can also be activated or configured with command-line options and programmed through C/C++, Visual Basic and VB.NET.
ClickYes Pro is also available in a Server Edition, which can be configured by an administrator for multiple user profiles.
NOTE: Neither version of ClickYes works with Outlook Express. However, it is possible to disable third-party mail warnings in Outlook Express by unchecking "Warn me when other applications try to send mail as me" in the Security tab of Outlook Express' configuration menu.
About the author: Serdar Yegulalp is editor of the Windows Power Users Newsletter.
Do you have comments on this tip? Let us know.
Related information from SearchExchange.com:
Learning Center: The Microsoft Outlook Toolbox
Tip: Free tool taps into Microsoft Outlook's advanced settings
Reference Center: Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook security resources
Reference Center: Microsoft Outlook tips and resources
Please let others know how useful this tip was via the rating scale below. Do you have a useful Exchange Server or Microsoft Outlook tip, timesaver or workaround to share? Submit it to SearchExchange.com. If we publish it, we'll send you a nifty thank-you gift.
