From Tuesday, 01 July, users will experience enhanced email security features in their mailboxes as we upgrade to Microsoft Exchange Online. These improvements will apply across Outlook desktop app, Outlook on the web, and Outlook mobile app.
The Exchange Online service provides a range of benefits that will integrate seamlessly with your account. Your emails will be better protected, with advanced tools designed to safeguard your data from threats such as spam and phishing.
The new service will introduce:
- Quick access to tools to report spam and phishing emails
- Emails to notify you of messages that have been quarantined
- ZAP (Zero-hour Auto purge)
- Enhanced Email Security MailTips
How does this impact me?
Users will benefit from increased control over how emails are delivered to their inbox with access to new tools to manage this more effectively.
Using the new reporting tools in Outlook
All incoming email is automatically scanned and assessed by Microsoft’s filtering systems. Based on this assessment, messages are delivered to your inbox, junk folder or quarantine. In high-risk cases (e.g. confirmed malware), messages may be silently blocked and not delivered at all.
You might notice a few changes – some legitimate emails could end up in your Junk folder or Quarantine, and some messages that used to go to Junk might now land in your Inbox.
Please monitor your junk email folder closely and report any misclassified messages using the tools provided within Outlook.
Using the new quick-access reporting tools in Outlook helps train the system to sort similar emails correctly in the future.
Quick guide: How to use reporting tools
Receiving Quarantine notifications
This new security feature moves suspicious emails — such as those with harmful links or potential phishing attempts — to a secure quarantine area instead of your inbox.
A daily summary will be sent to you if any messages are quarantined. This will be sent from quarantine@messaging.microsoft.com.
Clicking the “Quarantine page” link will take you to the Microsoft quarantine portal within the Security Center, where you can review and, potentially, based on the email classification, release emails if necessary.
Quick guide: Access and manage Quarantine messages
Zero-hour Auto Purge (ZAP)
The Zero-hour Auto Purge (ZAP) feature automatically removes emails identified as phishing, spam, or malware—even after delivery. These messages may disappear from your inbox without action on your part. You can recover them from your Junk Email or Quarantine folder.
Email Security MailTips
Enhanced MailTips alerts you to potential issues—like large recipient lists, new external senders, or possible impersonation. It helps you avoid common email mistakes by showing alerts (in the banner of email messages) before you send or interact with messages.
Quick guide: Access and manage Quarantine messages
Can I get more information?
Additional guidance can be accessed on the IT Services website.
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