Microsoft squashes self-destructing email rumour

By Alun Williams

Posted on 22 Oct 2003 at 11:29

At the official London launch of Office 2003 last night, Microsoft was questioned about Mission Impossible-style disappearing email, reports of which have been circulating in the media.

Steven Sinofski, Senior VP of Microsoft Office Group, squashed the rumour. He told assembled hacks in London that the new Office suite did not support self-destructing emails.

Questioned about pre-launch stories, he said this was a misunderstanding of the Information Rights Management (IRM) within Office.

Basically, emails intended to be private can have access restrictions imposed. The recipient is able to view the email, but not print, forward or copy it. A date for expiration can also be set, but this will relate to the viewing rights of the recipient, rather than the email itself disappearing from system and off the email server - no dramatic puff of smoke to be seen.

Note that IRM only applies to the document formats of Word, Excel and PowerPoint content, and HTML and email documents, for use with the Professional Edition of Microsoft Office 2003. (To view the permissions available for a document with restricted permission, you have to click the Status tab in the Shared Workspace task pane to access a 'View my permissions' link.)

What happens if you need to read content with restricted permission but Office 2003 isn't on the computer you are using? Microsoft's tack is that you can download a Rights Management Add-on for Internet Explorer that supports accessing restricted content.

You can read more about Microsoft's IRM on TechNet.