rogue e-mail attachments

[Peto]

For some reason, every e-mail message I send in Outlook 2003 automatically
attaches 3 .gif attachments. They seem to be harmless, as I have run several
anti-virus programs to determine if they are present, with nothing returned.
Any thoughts on what could cause these automatic attachments?

 

[Vanguard]

For some reason, every e-mail message I send in Outlook 2003 automatically
attaches 3 .gif attachments. They seem to be harmless, as I have run
several
anti-virus programs to determine if they are present, with nothing
returned.
Any thoughts on what could cause these automatic attachments?

When you view the .gif files, what do they look like? When you save the
..gif file and double-click on it, does the viewer show it okay? When you
right-click on it and look under the Summary tab, what is its size and other
properties?

Are you using an SMTP mail server or Exchange?

 

[Peto]

Thanks for your time. The files look like "bullets" that are used in MS
word. After saving the files and opening them, they view just the same as
when opening them from the attachment. As for SMTP or exchange, i do not
know what that implies. If it helps, I utilize a cable modem via Cox
Communications. Aslo, if it would be helpful, I could send an e-mail to you
that you could see for yourself. Thanks again for your time.

 

[Peto]

15 x 15 pixels,
size, 663 bytes

--
Peto

When you view the .gif files, what do they look like? When you save the
..gif file and double-click on it, does the viewer show it okay? When you
right-click on it and look under the Summary tab, what is its size and other
properties?

Are you using an SMTP mail server or Exchange?

 

[Vanguard]

15 x 15 pixels,
size, 663 bytes

Well, those are large enough not to be invisible (unless foreground and
background colors were the same) so it doesn't look like you or your e-mail
provider are inserting web bugs into your outbound e-mails to provide
tracking as to when the recipient opens your e-mail.

 

[Vanguard]

Thanks for your time. The files look like "bullets" that are used in MS
word. After saving the files and opening them, they view just the same as
when opening them from the attachment. As for SMTP or exchange, i do not
know what that implies. If it helps, I utilize a cable modem via Cox
Communications. Aslo, if it would be helpful, I could send an e-mail to
you
that you could see for yourself. Thanks again for your time.

Since you are using COX, you are using an SMTP mail server for outbound
messages. Sounds like you are sending in HTML or RTF (Rich-Text Format) and
using bullet lists in your content. Maybe you are using Word as the compose
editor for e-mail instead of the one in Outlook. Maybe you are using a
template and it has these attachments, or a background for your e-mails.

 

[fools]

See my post titled "wmz and gif attachments when using HTML with Word as the
editor"

There is some data corruption in Word. Hope to goodness that this is not a
flaw in Word that is being exploited.

Was the bullet that you see a picture bullet that you recently added to your
bullet gallery in Word? I think there is some kind of a bug in Word with
regard to this.

Work around is to clear the flag in Outlook/Options/Mail Format that causes
it to use Word as the editor. You can still send HTML messages but not using
Word as the editor.

 

[fools]

Found answer posted by Brian Tillman in message titled "automatic attachments"

Locate Normal.dot template file on your filesystem and delete it. Word will
recreate it.

This file is located at:
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates