topic Re: Compliance rule to block ZIP file attachments in Peer-Peer Topics

Compliance rule to block ZIP file attachments

ddelboccio — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:10:40 GMT

Looking for opinions here please...........

I've had a longstanding attachment compliance rule in place for Gmail to send any messages with a ZIP file attachment to quarantine for review.

I did this in the name of blocking email attachment viruses.

I see 3-4 emails come through per month, with legitimate ZIP files attached, and I release them out of quarantine.

My question is this...is this still a "thing"?

Do virus attached ZIP files still happen?

I know this setup is not a bad thing, but I'm just curious if anyone else does this, and whether they have ever actually stopped a bad ZIP from going through?

Re: Compliance rule to block ZIP file attachments

kaned — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:13:45 GMT

I don't have that rule set up (though I'm interested in the concept).

We have sandboxing and other security settings enabled (actually, I think all of them Google offers)

Re: Compliance rule to block ZIP file attachments

ddelboccio — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:15:24 GMT

I too have the sandboxing feature enabled, so I was truly wondering whether THAT would catch and/or block any bad ZIP files.

In theory, shouldn't it?

My compliance rule has been in place since BEFORE the sandboxing features came out.

Re: Compliance rule to block ZIP file attachments

panderson — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 20:05:45 GMT

I think we still have the zip extension blocked, along with Exe, bat, etc. I just tell them to rename the extension to something else. That way people don't accidentally open something they shouldn't. Most the people who are receiving zip files know enough on how to change them or use "Open with".
I am curious about the sandbox feature. Do you use the rules or just enable it for all users?

Re: Compliance rule to block ZIP file attachments

Justin_W — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 20:17:58 GMT

We block Exes and Zips yet (as well as others I think).

It's less common than before, but I still think keeping Email from being a file transfer service is good practice. There are too many good and readily available file hosting platform (Google Drive!) that offer additional features and security to regress back to files via Email.

Re: Compliance rule to block ZIP file attachments

Dean_Mantz — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 02:19:06 GMT

We continue to quarantine ZIP files as well. I have been in several Cybersecurity webinars over the last few months and it is not uncommon to hear presenters recommend ZIP file filtering.

Re: Compliance rule to block ZIP file attachments

ddelboccio — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 12:03:36 GMT

I simply enable the sandbox feature for all.