Turn off Cache mode?

[Bill Robertson]

Is there a way to prevent the display of messages in the inbox when starting
up Entourage until a valid password is entered?

The Windows Outlook client lets you turn off Cache mode, but I can't find
an analogous setting anywhere in Entourage.

This is a security issue for high-profile users.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Is there a way to prevent the display of messages in the inbox when starting
up Entourage until a valid password is entered?

Not that I know of...

The Windows Outlook client lets you turn off Cache mode, but I can't find
an analogous setting anywhere in Entourage.

This is a security issue for high-profile users.

Wellll, not really as far as I am concerned. Entourage has no reason to
hiden anything or provide a "secure" mode since this is all supposed to
be dealt with at the Ssytem level.
If you want to make sure no one takes a look at your messages when you
are not there, log out, or trigger the screen saver in password mode (it
asks for a password to reactivate the account).
MacOS X is designed to be used by one user at the time. There is no
reason why other users should use the same account on the Mac (IMVHO).


Corentin

 

[Bill Bryson]

You can clear the cache manually by holding down the control key while you
click on the Inbox and select "Empty Cache". An applescript could be
written that would execute the "empty cache" command on quit. The script
can be executed from a schedule with a condition of "On quit..."

Once you empty the cache, Entourage will have to re-sync to the server for
ALL the messages again.

There is option to only partially receive messages in Tools/Accounts/Edit
account/Options. You can specify all messages using 0 for the minimum size.
However, although Entourage displays (Headers only), it appears to me that
the whole message is being downloaded anyway since the letter icon is
complete next to each message after emptying the cache and the re-sync.

 

[Bill Robertson]

Was it something I said?

Does anyone from Microsoft read this group? Shouldn't I expect at least an
acknowledgment of my query from someone at Microsoft?

Does no one else have this problem?

 

[Adam Bailey]

Is there a way to prevent the display of messages in the inbox when starting
up Entourage until a valid password is entered?

The Windows Outlook client lets you turn off Cache mode, but I can't find
an analogous setting anywhere in Entourage.

This is a security issue for high-profile users.

The Mac OS lets you set a computer to require a person to login in with a
username and password prior to use. This is the way to prevent unauthorized
people from accessing your email. Anything Microsoft were to implement into
Entourage could be easily circumvented.

 

[Adam Bailey]

Was it something I said?

Does anyone from Microsoft read this group? Shouldn't I expect at least an
acknowledgment of my query from someone at Microsoft?

You were answered by two people on March 8. Are you not seeing new posts in
this newsgroup?

 

[Bill Robertson]

I see only one reply, from Corentin Cras-Méneur.

This is, admittedly, more a user problem than a technical one. Yes, it is
possible, desirable, even, to have the user log out or lock their machine
when they leave their desk. Unfortunately, we are talking about high-level
administrative types who do not take kindly to being told how to use their
computers. I'm not saying they're right, mind you, but there it is.

Besides, if it can be done in Windows, surely it could be done on the Mac,
yes? Or is this completely out of the question?

 

[Adam Bailey]

I see only one reply, from Corentin Cras-Méneur.

And that reply is right on the money.

This is, admittedly, more a user problem than a technical one. Yes, it is
possible, desirable, even, to have the user log out or lock their machine
when they leave their desk. Unfortunately, we are talking about high-level
administrative types who do not take kindly to being told how to use their
computers. I'm not saying they're right, mind you, but there it is.

From my experience, people who walk away from their computers without
logging out also leave their email application open. Are you saying that
these high-level types quit outlook when walking away?

Also, I don't normally see random people sitting down at "high-level"
peoples' computers and snooping. Lower level people share their computers
with each other all the time, but no one touches the boss'.

Besides, if it can be done in Windows, surely it could be done on the Mac,
yes? Or is this completely out of the question?

Not where I work...logging into my machine authenticates me with Active
Directory and lets me log into Outlook without re-entering my password.

 

[Andy Ruff]

If you're concerned about the walk-away scenario, you might just request
that users enable the System Preferences/Security "Require password to wake
this computer from sleep or screen saver" checkbox.

-Andy

--
Andy Ruff
MacBU Program Management
Entourage Weblog: http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/

This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Brett_x]

The Mac OS lets you set a computer to require a person to login in with a
username and password prior to use.
Anything Microsoft were to implement into
Entourage could be easily circumvented.

Bill- I agree with your question completely. And I have a really simple
way that MS could make Entourage a secure application: Encrypt the
database.
Regardless of if I can launch Entourage without a password or not, I
could still "steal" the Entourage database from whoever's machine I
want, and open it on another machine.This means that system
administrators that have the rights to Network Home Folders have a very
easy way to read a high-level administrator's email. It means that (if
my boss used a Mac) I could easily read his email. Obviously, I take
data privacy very seriously and I would never do that.. but some might.
Encrypting the database would prevent that issue altogether.
BTW- we do have a secure environment- locking screens after 15Mins,
changing PW's every 45 days. (Oh yeah, and you just have to have an
admin pw to unlock the screen. It doesn't have to be the person that is
actually logged in.) It just doesn't make sense that MS hasn't included
the ability to encrypt the database.

So, Bill- if you want to do this on your own, you might be able to make
the documents folder on an encrypted image... it would get very tricky,
but it is possible.

I hope this helps.

-Brett

 

[Bill Robertson]

Everything you all say about how users "should" behave is all well and good.
My original point, however, was to point out a difference between Outlook
and Entourage, and ask why the two applications can not exhibit the same
functionality.

 

[Adam Bailey]

Everything you all say about how users "should" behave is all well and good.
My original point, however, was to point out a difference between Outlook
and Entourage, and ask why the two applications can not exhibit the same
functionality.

As Andy pointed out, the Mac OS can be configured to require a login after a
period of inactivity or when the computer goes into screensaver or sleep
mode. Is this not sufficient?

 

[William Smith]

Everything you all say about how users "should" behave is all well and good.
My original point, however, was to point out a difference between Outlook
and Entourage, and ask why the two applications can not exhibit the same
functionality.

Hi Bill!

Obviously you've learned by now that this functionality is not part of
Entourage, which is _not_ Outlook for Mac. You can expect feature
similarity but not necessarily feature parity. I do agree with you that
a non-cached mode is needed for Entourage but for a very different
reason.

Cached/non-cached modes are not security features. Instead, they're
performance features. Caching allows for travelers to read and reply to
their messages offline. It also allows for better performance over slow
network connections such as dial-up. This is why Entourage should have
the ability to cache or not cache information. To treat them as security
devices is wrong.

Security is better left at the OS level as others have indicated. Let
the Mac OS handle who gets access to user data. That's its role to play.

Hope this helps! bill