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To better protect Curtin’s data and systems, DTS are rolling out important email security improvements. These updates will help block phishing attempts, reduce spam and strengthen how emails are sent and received at Curtin.
What’s Changing?
Incoming Emails
Suspicious emails will now go to quarantine
Emails flagged as phishing or high-confidence spam will be held in quarantine instead of being sent to junk.
- This extra step prevents risky emails from landing in your inbox while still giving you the ability to review them if needed.
- You can review and safely release legitimate messages from quarantine.
Focus on legitimate emails
Low-risk, bulk emails (e.g. newsletters you have signed up for) will no longer be filtered as junk and will arrive to your inbox.
- This helps ensure that security filters stay focused on true threats rather than promotional content.
- You can use the Focused Inbox feature in Outlook, delete or manually mark these as junk, or unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters to keep your inbox organised.
Outbound Emails
Limits will apply on how many emails you can send
- 500 external emails/hour
- 1,000 internal emails/hour
- 1,000 total emails/day
- These limits help detect and contain compromised accounts, preventing mass email scams and spam outbreaks.
- These limits do not apply to email marketing platforms or bulk email software.
- If you exceed these limits, your emails will fail to send. You’ll need to log a SupportU request to be removed from the Restricted Users list before you can send emails again.
Automatic forwarding will be turned off
Forwarding rules that send emails to personal or external addresses will no longer work.
- This reduces the risk of sensitive information being unintentionally shared or targeted through less secure inboxes.
- Manually check your Curtin inbox, add your Curtin email account to your preferred mail client, or set your email account up on a mobile device to stay connected.
Attachments
Some risky file types will be blocked
Files with a high risk of carrying malware (e.g. .exe, .bat, .iso) will no longer be allowed via email.
- These files are commonly used in attacks and will be blocked before they reach your device.
- You can use SharePoint or OneDrive links for sharing files instead.
Malware-infected attachments will be automatically quarantined
Messages identified as containing malware will be held for review by DTS.
- This helps prevent harmful content from ever being opened or spread further.
- If you believe a legitimate file was incorrectly blocked, submit a SupportU Request for support.
Better Phishing Detection
Improved detection of impersonation and spoofing
You may see more emails flagged as phishing due to improved detection.
Emails pretending to be from trusted staff or Curtin domains will go to quarantine or junk.
- This helps prevent attackers from tricking you into trusting fake or lookalike senders.
- Only admins can release these emails.
New warning messages (safety tips) will appear for:
- First-time senders
- Unusual characters in addresses
- Messages sent “via” third-party systems
- Potential domain impersonation
- These cues prompt you to slow down and double-check suspicious messages before clicking or replying.
- Read these tips carefully – they’re designed to help you pause and think before engaging.
Visual Cues to Help You Stay Safe
- A “?” icon will now appear on emails where the sender couldn’t be verified.
- A “via” tag will display when a message is sent via another domain.
Further Information
For any questions, contact Curtin Connect at 1300 222 888 or drop in Building 102 on the Curtin Perth campus.
