US DOD Ban Use of HTML Mail, Outlook Web Access

HTML mail - increasingly a trademark of the clueless.
 - John Walker creator of AutoCAD and Autodesk.

Due to an increased network threat condition, the US DOD are now blocking all HTML mail messages and have banned use of Outlook Web Access mail applications.

The Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO) have raised the network threat condition from Infocon 5 (normal operations) to Infocon 4 'in the face of continuing and sophisticated threats' against DOD networks.

According to the JTF-GNO, HTML mail poses a threat because it can be infected with spyware or other types of executable code that can crack DOD networks.

HTML mail sent to US DOD accounts is now automatically converted to plain text.

According to DOD security guidelines, any mail from unknown sources, including unfamiliar DOD accounts, is to be regarded as potentially dangerous. Staff are to be especially wary of 'phishing' attempts to gain sensitive information.

The ban on Outlook Web Access hits tens of thousands of DOD staff who use the tool exclusively to conduct their business.

These new measures do not however prohibit use of PowerPoint attachments.