New SOA Email Security Features Available Today!

OIT is implementing its new email filtering system TODAY!

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has replaced its email filtering technology with Microsoft Defender for Office 365.

What to Expect:

You may notice a difference when you click on links in an email message.

    • If the link is safe, the URL will open, no change here.

    • If the link is NOT safe you will be directed to a warning page blocking you from access to the site and the action will be reported for security purposes.

Malicious files will be visible, but not available, keeping our computers safe from infection.

You may experience more spam/bulk mail in the beginning.  

    • Simply identify it as junk/spam,  which will put the message in the "Junk Email" folder in the mailbox or block the sender directly in Outlook.

    • Employees are encouraged to import their Safe and Block Senders from the quarantine to Outlook to help Microsoft Defender learn which emails to filter more rapidly.

Some messages may be blocked that shouldn’t be.

    • These messages will likely be found in your "Junk Email" or be reported in the daily SPAM quarantine

    • Be sure to check your junk folder or quarantine if you don’t receive an email you are expecting and update your Safe Senders list.

 Benefits of the new filtering system include:

  • Safe Links protect you from malicious hyperlinks in email, Teams chat and Office 365 apps
  • Safe Attachments ensures that attachments are safe to open
  • Quarantine - Spam, phishing, and malware messages are identified and sent to quarantine even before they get to your inbox.
  • Tool Tips – You may see different banners appear at the top of an email message if the Microsoft Defender filter recognizes something new or different. This notifies you to learn more or to take extra care when performing an action.

Related Links

Getting Started With Email Spam Reporting

Getting Started With Quarantine

Getting Started With Safe Links and Attachments

Getting Started With Importing/Exporting Safe and Blocked Senders

 

If you have questions please submit an AlaskaNow IT support request or reach out to your Department IT Helpdesk Contact (DEDPA).  Please mention “email filtering changes” or “Microsoft Defender” at the beginning of your request.

 

 


We are here to assist you. Feel free to reach out.