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Q235607: XADM: HTML in Subject Field Is Not Converted Properly

Article: Q235607
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): exc55 EXC55SP3Fix
Last Modified: 30-SEP-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If you send a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) message that contains special
HTML characters in the Subject field, and then a rule is applied that forwards
the message, the Subject field in the copy of the original message that is
included in the forwarded message may not be displayed properly. The HTML
characters may be displayed as HTML, instead of being displayed as text. Note
that this problem occurs if the message is sent using the Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol (SMTP) or sent using the Messaging Application Programming Interface
(MAPI) with the HTML encapsulated as Rich Text Format (RTF).

For example, if you send an HTML message that contains "&lt" in the Subject
field, the Subject field in the copy of the original message contains the less
than character (<) instead of "&lt".

CAUSE
=====

This problem occurs when the forwarded message contains the \fromhtml1 tag in
the RTF header. When this tag exists, Exchange Server assumes that all HTML
entities have already been encapsulated as RTF. Therefore, it does not convert
the HTML characters from the Subject field of the original message (which were
added to the original RTF when the message was forwarded) into entities, which
causes the characters to be displayed incorrectly.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Exchange Server
version 5.5. For additional information, please see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q191014 XGEN: How to Obtain the Latest Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or
later:

Component: Information Store

+------------------------+
| File name | Version    | 
+------------------------+
| Store.exe | 5.5.2637.0 | 
+------------------------+


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 5.5. This problem was first corrected in Exchange Server 5.5 Service
Pack 3.

MORE INFORMATION
================

This behavior represents a potential security concern, because the security
features enabled on most e-mail servers do not check the Subject field as
closely as the rest of the message. If malicious HTML code in the Subject field
of the original message is not detected, the code may be run after the original
message is forwarded by a rule and the Subject field is included in the
forwarded message.

Additional query words: eml

======================================================================
Keywords          : exc55 EXC55SP3Fix 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:5.5
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

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