Understanding Long File Name Restrictions in Email Attachments
If you’ve encountered an error when sending an email with an attachment, it may be due to the file name being too long. Our email security platform has measures in place to prevent the delivery of potentially harmful attachments, including those with excessively long file names.
Cybercriminals often use long file names as a tactic to disguise malicious files. They may append multiple extensions to obscure the true nature of the file, such as:
Example: 12345678910111213141516.pdf.exe
At first glance, the file may appear to be a PDF, but it is actually an executable (.exe) file, which can contain malware. This technique increases the chances of a user mistakenly opening the attachment and infecting their system.
To mitigate this risk, our email security system automatically flags and prevents the delivery of attachments with excessively long file names. If your email was rejected due to this reason, the notification details may indicate a message similar to:
"Securemail: Very long filenames are good signs of attacks against Microsoft e-mail packages."
This is a precautionary measure to protect your account and ensure a safer email environment.
If your email was blocked due to a long file name, follow these steps:
fbJGg-0005b6-GW_nFORMPROPS 176.pdf
, rename it to Form_Props_176.pdf
.If you continue to experience issues after renaming your attachment, please Contact Us for additional troubleshooting.