E-mail is a means of spreading viruses and worms. Scanning for viruses and worms is essential in mitigating the risk of an outbreak within Wesleyan’s network. In addition to virus scanning, some types of file attachments are considered potentially dangerous enough to strip them from messages that pass through our servers in all cases. Below is a list of files that Wesleyan’s mail servers block. Files are blocked if the file extension (the three letters to the right of the dot) matches an entry in the table below.
File name extension |
File type |
.ade | Access Project Extension (Microsoft) |
.adp | Access Project (Microsoft) |
.app | Executable Application |
.asp | Active Server Page |
.bas | BASIC Source Code |
.bat | Batch Processing |
.cer | Internet Security Certificate File |
.chm | Compiled HTML Help |
.cmd | DOS CP/M Command File, Command File for Windows NT |
.cnf | Config file used by Telnet, Windows and other applications |
.com | Command |
.cpl | Windows Control Panel Extension (Microsoft) |
.crt | Certificate File |
.csh | csh Script |
.der | DER Encoded X509 Certificate File |
.exe | Executable File |
.fxp | FoxPro Compiled Source (Microsoft) |
.gadget | Windows Vista gadget |
.hlp | Windows Help File |
.hta | Hypertext Application |
.inf | Information or Setup File |
.ins | IIS Internet Communications Settings (Microsoft) |
.isp | IIS Internet Service Provider Settings (Microsoft) |
.its | Internet Document Set, Internet Translation |
.js | JavaScript Source Code |
.jse | JScript Encoded Script File |
.ksh | UNIX Shell Script |
.lnk | Windows Shortcut File |
.mad | Access Module Shortcut (Microsoft) |
.maf | Access (Microsoft) |
.mag | Access Diagram Shortcut (Microsoft) |
.mam | Access Macro Shortcut (Microsoft) |
.maq | Access Query Shortcut (Microsoft) |
.mar | Access Report Shortcut (Microsoft) |
.mas | Access Stored Procedures (Microsoft) |
.mat | Access Table Shortcut (Microsoft) |
.mau | Media Attachment Unit |
.mav | Access View Shortcut (Microsoft) |
.maw | Access Data Access Page (Microsoft) |
.mda | Access Add-in (Microsoft), MDA Access 2 Workgroup (Microsoft) |
.mdb | Access Application (Microsoft), MDB Access Database (Microsoft) |
.mde | Access MDE Database File (Microsoft) |
.mdt | Access Add-in Data (Microsoft) |
.mdw | Access Workgroup Information (Microsoft) |
.mdz | Access Wizard Template (Microsoft) |
.mhtml | MHTML document (MIME) |
.msc | Microsoft Management Console Snap-in Control File (Microsoft) |
.msh | Microsoft Shell |
.msh1 | Microsoft Shell |
.msh2 | Microsoft Shell |
.mshxml | Microsoft Shell |
.msh1xml | Microsoft Shell |
.msh2xml | Microsoft Shell |
.msi | Windows Installer File (Microsoft) |
.msp | Windows Installer Update |
.mst | Windows SDK Setup Transform Script |
.ops | Office Profile Settings File |
.pcd | Visual Test (Microsoft) |
.pif | Windows Program Information File (Microsoft) |
.plg | Developer Studio Build Log |
.prf | Windows System File |
.prg | Program File |
.pst | MS Exchange Address Book File, Outlook Personal Folder File (Microsoft) |
.reg | Registration Information/Key for W95/98, Registry Data File |
.scf | Windows Explorer Command |
.scr | Windows Screen Saver |
.sct | Windows Script Component, Foxpro Screen (Microsoft) |
.shb | Windows Shortcut into a Document |
.shs | Shell Scrap Object File |
.ps1 | Windows PowerShell |
.ps1xml | Windows PowerShell |
.ps2 | Windows PowerShell |
.ps2xml | Windows PowerShell |
.psc1 | Windows PowerShell |
.psc2 | Windows PowerShell |
.tmp | Temporary File/Folder |
.url | Internet Location |
.vb | VBScript File or Any VisualBasic Source |
.vbe | VBScript Encoded Script File |
.vbs | VBScript Script File, Visual Basic for Applications Script |
.vsmacros | Visual Studio .NET Binary-based Macro Project (Microsoft) |
.vsw | Visio Workspace File (Microsoft) |
.ws | Windows Script File |
.wsc | Windows Script Component |
.wsf | Windows Script File |
.wsh | Windows Script Host Settings File |
.xnk | Exchange Public Folder Shortcut |
.zip | Compressed archive file |
In addition to the table above, file attachments are removed if the filename conains many continuous white spaces, or if the filename contains double file extenstions (for example filename.jpg.exe).