Report Button in Microsoft Outlook: How to Set It Up and What Happens to Reported Emails

The report button in Microsoft Outlook is a useful feature that allows users to quickly report suspicious emails, such as phishing or spam messages, to their your IT administrator or your security team. Here's more information on how to set up this feature and what happens to the reported emails:

Enabling the Report Button in an Organization Tenant

1. Microsoft 365 Compliance Center:

   • Go to the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center.
   • Sign in with an account that has the necessary administrative rights.
   • Navigate to "Threat management" > "Policy" > "Anti-spam" and then to the "User submission" settings.

2. Set Up the Report Button:

   • Enable the option to allow users to report spam, phishing, and other suspicious emails.
   • Configure the settings so that reported items are sent to the appropriate mailbox or security team for further investigation.

3. Microsoft Defender for Office 365:

   • If you use Microsoft Defender for Office 365, you can also configure advanced reporting options via the Security & Compliance Center.
   • Go to "Threat management" > "Submission" > "User Submissions" and configure the reporting options.

What Happens to Reported Emails?

When a user reports an email using the report button, the following occurs:

1. Analysis and Processing:

   • The reported email is forwarded to the designated mailbox or security team for analysis.
   • Microsoft can also automatically analyze the reported email to identify and process threats.

2. Feedback to the User:

   • The user may receive a confirmation that their report has been received and is being processed.

3. Updates to Security Systems:

   • Information from reported emails can be used to improve security systems, such as quickly identifying and blocking new phishing or spam campaigns.

4. Enhanced Security:

   • By reporting suspicious emails, the user contributes to a safer email environment for the entire organization, as potential threats are identified and addressed more quickly.

Conclusion

Setting up the report button in Microsoft Outlook within your organization tenant helps strengthen email security by providing users with an easy way to report suspicious emails. These reports can be analyzed and used to improve security measures, contributing to a safer working environment.