Mailscanner: allow .zip .tar .gz extension in email

Introduction

MailScanner scans email attachments to protect mail servers from malicious files. By default, it may block archive files such as .zip, .tar, and .gz if they contain executable or potentially dangerous file types. If required, you can configure MailScanner to allow these archive formats while continuing to scan the attachments for viruses.

Prerequisites

• Root or sudo access to the server
• Access to WHM
• MailScanner installed and configured

Implementation

Step 1

Log in to WHM.

Step 2

Navigate to:

WHM → MailScanner → MailScanner Configuration

Step 3

Search for the setting:

Maximum Archive Depth

Step 4

Set the value to:

0

This disables archive content checking and allows archive files such as .zip, .tar, and .gz to pass through MailScanner.

Step 5

Save the configuration changes.

Step 6

Send a test email with a supported archive attachment to verify that it is delivered successfully.

Conclusion

Setting Maximum Archive Depth to 0 allows archive files such as .zip, .tar, and .gz to be sent through MailScanner without being blocked due to their contents. The attachments will continue to be scanned for viruses, helping maintain email security while allowing archive file transfers.