Determining How Windows Handles Attachments and Downloaded Files

Q: Where do you configure the policy that controls how Windows handles attempts to open files attached to email messages or downloaded from the Internet? It seems like even after you save files to your hard disk, Windows still remembers that the file came from the Internet and either blocks you from opening it or warns you before making you confirm that you want to open the file.

A: You're right, Windows does remember the Internet zone (i.e., Restricted Sites, Internet, Trusted Sites, Local Intranet) from which you originally obtain files by storing that information in the extended attributes of the file stored in NTFS. Attachment Manager, which is supported in Windows Vista and Windows XP SP2, controls how Microsoft Outlook Express, Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger, Windows Explorer, Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), and any other programs that use the IAttachmentExecute interface handle email attachments and Internet downloads. Depending on the policy configuration, the Internet zone, the file type, and the program associated with the file type, Attachment Manager might completely block you from opening a file or warn you before letting you open it. You can use the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Group Policy Object Editor snap-in to configure Attachment Manager's policies by maneuvering to User ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsAttachment Manager. For more information about Attachment Manager's policies, see the Microsoft article "Description of how the Attachment Manager works in Windows XP Service Pack 2" (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883260).