DLP not monitoring new Outlook for Mac, with workaround

Data Loss Prevention

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19 July 2021

14 October 2020

Update June 4, 2021: The DLP Outlook addin is now supported for the New Outlook mode, for Outlook version 16.50 and later when used with DLP 15.8. The workaround described below is not needed for monitoring the new version of Microsoft Outlook for macOS endpoints, in an environment with the platform versions as mentioned. 

Update July 19, 2021: The DLP Outlook addin is now supported for the New Outlook mode, for Outlook version 16.50 and later when used with DLP 15.7 MP2. 

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Symantec Data Loss Prevention Endpoint Prevent does not natively monitor the new version of Microsoft Outlook for Mac, version 16.42 and later. However, a workaround is provided in this article for providing monitoring capabilities. 

The features of the new version are described in the Microsoft article The new Outlook for Mac. Outlook has a switch that enables users to switch from using the New Outlook mode to using the older mode. 

The DLP Agent does not monitor the new Outlook because the DLP Outlook addin is not invoked when the "New Outlook" mode is used. 

The workaround provided here involves creating and deploying an MDM profile in which the New Outlook mode is disabled. Once disabled, the older mode of Outlook is used, and the DLP Outlook addin is invoked. The DLP Agent will then monitor Outlook as expected. 

Follow these steps to continue DLP Agent monitoring of Outlook for the Mac when Outlook version 16.42 or later is used. The steps include use of Jamf as the device management system for macOS endpoints. 

1. Create an MDM configuration profile by using the following plist (you can use the plain-text plist file attached at the bottom of this page to avoid line return issues when copying/pasting):  

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
               <key>EnableNewOutlook</key>
               <integer>0</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

2. In Jamf, select a configuration profile. 

3. Navigate to Application & Custom Settings, and then click Add.

4. Under Creation Method, select Upload File (PLIST file).

5. In the Preference Domain field, type com.microsoft.Outlook

6. Click the Upload PLIST file button, and then browse to and select the .plist file created in step 1. 

7. Click Save.

8. Restart the Outlook client if it is already running on the endpoint system.

 

(The attached plist file in plain text can be used in step 1 plistNewOutlookIssue.txt)