PDF conversion of Word, Excel and PDF files
PDF conversion as part of Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR), converts Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and PDF documents into secure PDF files by removing any active content. The PDF file can then be opened without any concerns, with the original file either left attached to the email or removed. CDR is a feature in NoSpamProxy Protection and in conjunction with NoSpamProxy Large Files provides an optimal way to disarm unsafe documents and retain the original files.
CDR is configured in the “Content filter actions” and then applied to the corresponding emails via the “Content filters”. A training video on the content filters can be found at https://www.nospamproxy.de/de/support/trainingsvideos/ (German only).
This conversion process is very time-consuming and not all documents can be converted. We have built in a protection mechanism so that the unsafe attachments are not delivered, even if the conversion fails.
- If only Protection, but not Large Files, is licensed, the email for which the conversion did not work is first stored under “Monitoring > Emails on hold” and the configured administrator is informed. The administrator then has the task of checking the email and can then either download it as an EML file and forward it via Outlook or deactivate/change the content filter for this email for a limited time and force delivery again.
- If Protection and Large Files are licensed, the original file will be uploaded to the Web Portal if the conversion fails (if desired even if the conversion was successful), but it will be locked there, so that it must also be released by the administrator, deviating from the settings for the successful conversion. The prerequisite for this is the setting “Upload the original document to the Web Portal” in the Content Filter action.
The email itself is delivered to the recipient, with the corresponding information for downloading, but without the converted PDF file, as this was not possible.
This protective mechanism cannot be changed or influenced.
Note
Since the conversion component is provided by a third-party provider, we have only very limited influence on it. If the conversion cannot be performed to your satisfaction, please send us the file to be converted, if possible. Make sure that the file does not contain any personal data. We will then make this file available to the third party provider for analysis. We would like to point out that a feedback on our part is not possible, as the adaptation process can be very lengthy.