You are logged off unexpectedly when you try to perform another action after you try to view an e-mail message that includes an embedded graphic in Outlook Web Access

In a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 organization, you try to view an e-mail message that contains an embedded graphic in Outlook Web Access. Then, you try to perform another action, such as moving to another folder. When you do this, you are logged off unexpectedly.

Then, you are prompted to log on to Outlook Web Access. After you log on again, the e-mail message contains a red X in the picture frame.

This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:

• You are using forms-based authentication in a front-end/back-end configuration.
• You log on to Outlook Web Access through the front-end server.

This problem occurs when the embedded graphic references an inaccessible link. This condition can occur when the sender of the e-mail message included the graphic by copying the graphic from another e-mail message or from a Web site.

To make sure that new messages do not cause this problem, apply the hotfix. Existing messages must be deleted by using Outlook. Outlook Web Access clients will continue to be logged off if they try to view or delete existing messages that caused the behavior before the hotfix was applied.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Hotfix installation information

After you apply the hotfix, a red X is displayed in the picture frame when you try to open any e-mail message that includes a graphic that references an inaccessible link.

Prerequisites

You must install Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2) before you apply the hotfix.
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply the hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfix.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

When the graphic is copied from another e-mail message or from a Web site, Outlook Web Access sometimes includes the original link to the graphic. For example, when the graphic is copied from another e-mail message, the reference to the graphic may resemble the following link:When a user tries to open this e-mail message, Outlook Web Access cannot access the link. Outlook Web Access then returns an "Access denied" error message. In a forms-based authentication environment, the front-end server processes this error as a time-out error and logs the user off.
For more information about the terminology that Microsoft uses for software that is corrected after it is released, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about the naming schema for Exchange Server software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: