G Suite Gmail blocking some .notebook files when sent as attachments.

[atcoates]

Hi,

Since half term teachers are reporting that when attaching certain .notebook files they are being blocked. Other .notebook files seem to go through without issue. File sizes are small only a few mb. The notebook files seem to have nothing different in them than the files that it allows. Is there a way to white list .notebook attachments in G Suite?

 

[ColonelPanic]

Hi,

 

I know it's not of much help, but Google (and most other email providers) like to block attachments with double file-extensions, and mark them as malicious.

 

With the example in your screenshot, I know it's not a double extension, and you know it's not a double extension, but Google sees the "*.2.notebook" and blocks it.

It's to prevent things like "*.pdf.exe" and other such atrocities being emailed around.

[atcoates]

It's seems happy with the file ending 16.2.notebook but not test.notebook. Test .notebook was originally called something else and I renamed it to test to see if the name was causing issues but it's definitely the file itself it doesn't like.

[vvilliamson]

Having the same issue as atcoates. Teachers reported this happening a couple days ago and only effects some smartnotebook files. Does not appear to be the file name or file size. Perhaps something within the notebook file that google doesn't like, such as an embedded flash object or some kind of code it sees as a threat?

[atcoates]

Yes one of the teachers said she had a web link in the file but I couldn't see it. Glad to hear it's not just me @vvilliamson

[JATSO]

We had the same problem so I said staff they will just have to use Google Drive and Share. Seems to have stopped the complaints.

[Mr_Jiminy]

Can I confirm if this was resolved, or is the best method for users to share via Drive?

[JATSO]

Can I confirm if this was resolved, or is the best method for users to share via Drive?

 

Not sure if its the best method but certainly better than trying to send them by email. Seems to work for us.

[IrritableTech]

Notebook files are simply zips. Google looks at the content of the file and if it finds any of the following...

 

.ADE, .ADP, .BAT, .CHM, .CMD, .COM, .CPL, .EXE, .HTA, .INS, .ISP, .JAR, .JS, .JSE, .LIB, .LNK, .MDE, .MSC, .MSI, .MSP, .MST, .NSH .PIF, .SCR, .SCT, .SHB, .SYS, .VB, .VBE, .VBS, .VXD, .WSC, .WSF, .WSH

 

...it'll block them no questions asked. Open up a notebook file that has been denied and I'd expect to see one of those included.

 

As above - we've advised using google drive as there is no way around this that I am aware of.

Edited January 22, 2018 by IrritableTech

[atcoates]

Notebook files are simply zips. Google looks at the content of the file and if it finds any of the following...

 

.ADE, .ADP, .BAT, .CHM, .CMD, .COM, .CPL, .EXE, .HTA, .INS, .ISP, .JAR, .JS, .JSE, .LIB, .LNK, .MDE, .MSC, .MSI, .MSP, .MST, .NSH .PIF, .SCR, .SCT, .SHB, .SYS, .VB, .VBE, .VBS, .VXD, .WSC, .WSF, .WSH

 

...it'll block them no questions asked. Open up a notebook file that has been denied and I'd expect to see one of those included.

 

As above - we've advised using google drive as there is no way around this that I am aware of.

I've not seen any of the files being zipped? These are just regular Smart Notebook files with just text in. I've had no reports of any being blocked recently either.

[atcoates]

Ok had a bit of time to do some testing. If I include one of the new interactive timers from smart the file is then blocked. Google said it may contain java script so the file is blocked.

 

Edited January 24, 2018 by atcoates

[tom99w7y2]

Yep google have been blocking java script for a while now

Gmail won't allow JavaScript file attachments starting February 13

[atcoates]

Notebook files are simply zips. Google looks at the content of the file and if it finds any of the following...

 

.ADE, .ADP, .BAT, .CHM, .CMD, .COM, .CPL, .EXE, .HTA, .INS, .ISP, .JAR, .JS, .JSE, .LIB, .LNK, .MDE, .MSC, .MSI, .MSP, .MST, .NSH .PIF, .SCR, .SCT, .SHB, .SYS, .VB, .VBE, .VBS, .VXD, .WSC, .WSF, .WSH

 

...it'll block them no questions asked. Open up a notebook file that has been denied and I'd expect to see one of those included.

 

As above - we've advised using google drive as there is no way around this that I am aware of.

Is this what you were getting at?

 

Hello Andrew,

 

Thanks for your reply and for sharing the .notebook files.

 

The timer.notebook file does contain .js files which is a file type that is blocked in Gmail. If you rename timer.notebook to timer.zip you should be able to open the file to examine it’s contents. There are .js files found in the folders html > src1 > js and html > src1 >lib that are contained in the timer.notebook file.

 

Unfortunately there is no way to whitelist the .notebook files or any of the blocked file types. Any .notebook files that contain any of the following blocked file types will always be blocked in Gmail

 

.ADE, .ADP, .BAT, .CHM, .CMD, .COM, .CPL, .EXE, .HTA, .INS, .ISP, .JAR, .JS, .JSE, .LIB, .LNK, .MDE, .MSC, .MSI, .MSP, .MST, .NSH .PIF, .SCR, .SCT, .SHB, .SYS, .VB, .VBE, .VBS, .VXD, .WSC, .WSF, .WSH

 

For reference please visit https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6590?hl=en. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any further queries or concerns.

 

Sincerely,

 

Google Cloud Support

[Ditto]

@atcoates - I have just hit this issue with a blocked zip file from a 3rd party. We are expecting the file and it's contents are encrypted. They are not happy to use google drive - what are my options?

[atcoates]

I'm not sure what you can do as it wasn't something we could get at to change. The only option they gave us was "Google Drive".