Department of Defense blocks HTML-based email

oKAMi-InfoSec writes: "The Department of Defense (DoD) is blocking HTML-based email and is banning the use of Outlook Web Access email clients.

The DoD is making this move because HTML messages can easily be infected with spyware and executable lines of code that enable the bad guys to access DoD networks, according to an article in Federal Computer Week by Bob Brewin .

From the article:

In an e-mail to Federal Computer Week, a Navy user said that any HTML messages sent to his account are automatically converted to plain text.

A spokesman for the Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO) claims that this is a response to an increased network threat condition. The network threat condition has risen from Information Condition 5 to Information Condition 4 (also called Infocon 4). InfoCon 5 is normal operating conditions and Infocon 4 comes as a result of "continuing and sophisticated threats" against DoD Networks. The change to Infocon 4 came in mid-November, after the Naval War College suffered devastating attacks that required their entire system be taken offline, but the JTF-GNO spokesman claims there is no connection."