Outlook (MSI Version) Phish Alert Button Product Manual

The Phish Alert Button (PAB) for Outlook is an add-in that allows users to report suspicious emails with a single click. When your users click the PAB, they can help warn your IT team about potential phishing attacks or malicious messages.

To learn how to install the MSI version of the PAB for Outlook, see the sections below. For information about downloading the PAB for Outlook from your KMSAT Account Settings, see our PAB Product Manual.

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Installation Prerequisites

Installation Methods

• Install from the Setup Wizard
• Install with Command Line
• Install with Group Policy
• Shared Mailboxes Installation

Uninstallation

User Experience

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

Installation Prerequisites

In order to install the PAB for Outlook, you will need to download the PhishAlertButtonSetup.msi file and have your License Key available. This information can be found in your KMSAT Account Settings under Account Integrations > Phish Alert. For more information about locating the MSI file and License Key, see the Enable and Configure PAB section of our Phish Alert Button Product Manual.

You will also need to have administrative permissions on the computer you use to install the PAB. The computer you use must meet the following requirements:

• Windows 10 or newer.
• Outlook 2013 or newer.
• .NET version 4.5.1 or newer is required.
• Port 443 TCP (HTTPS) should be open outbound for HTTPS connections to training.knowbe4.com, eu.knowbe4.com, or ca.knowbe4.com, and api.updates.knowbe4.com on all computers where the PAB for Outlook is installed. The connection you use will depend on your environment.

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Installation Methods

You can use four different methods to install the PAB. You can either install the PAB from your KMSAT Account Settings, by using a command line, or by using your Group Policy. To learn more about the different installation methods and to choose the best method for your organization, see the subsections below.

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Install from the Setup Wizard

This installation method allows any user with administrator permissions to install the PAB. This method will install the PAB for Outlook on the computer that you’re using for the installation.

To begin this installation, follow the steps below:

1. Double-click the downloaded PhishAlertButtonSetup.msi file to open the setup wizard.
2. Click the Next button.
   

   

3. Enter the License Key from your KMSAT Account Settings.
4. Click the Next button.
   
   

   

5. Select the installation folder for the Phish Alert Button and click the Next button.
   
   

   

6. To confirm the installation, click the Next button.
   

   

7. Your PAB installation is complete. Click the Close button.
   

   

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Install with Command Line

The Command-line installation method allows the PAB add-in to be installed using standard msiexec installation procedures and can be deployed organization-wide using Group Policy.

To install the PAB with this method, run Command Prompt as an administrator and copy and paste the following command:

msiexec /quiet /i PhishAlert.msi LicenseKey=[license key] ALLUSERS=1

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Group Policy Installation

The Group Policy installation method allows the PAB add-in to be installed and deployed organization-wide. We recommend deploying the add-in to one workstation before deploying it to the whole organization.

To begin the installation, follow the steps below:

1. Create a shared folder on a server (read-only for Domain Computers):

   C:\deploy

   Shared to:

   \\server\deploy


   Note: This is a startup script, so it will run as the system account. Make sure Domain Computers have access to the shared folder you created to deploy the add-in.
2. Copy the PhishAlert.msi file into this directory.
3. Create a batch file named phishalert.bat, similar to the one below, in the \\server\deploy directory:

   copy \\server\deploy\PhishAlert.msi C:\

   msiexec /quiet /i C:\PhishAlert.msi LicenseKey=[license key] ALLUSERS=1
del C:\PhishAlert.msi


4. Create your GPO:
   1. Open the Group Policy Management Console.
   2. Create a new GPO under Computer Configuration.
   3. Navigate to Policies > Windows Settings > Scripts > Double-click Startup.
   4. Click the Add button.
   5. In the script name, write the full network path, without spaces, to your shared folder and the script bat file:
      

      \\server\deploy\phishalert.bat


5. Click OK and close the Group Policy Management Console.
6. To verify the installation succeeded, open Outlook on the workstation you installed and you should see the PAB in the toolbar.

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Shared Mailboxes Installation

The shared mailboxes installation method allows you to use the Outlook desktop client version of PAB across your shared mailboxes. Please note that the users with shared mailbox access must be using the client MSI. In order to set up using this method, you can create a new PAB instance and download the Outlook PAB installer (PhishAlert.msi) file. You can use the license key from the new PAB instance to install the new PAB instance.

For more information, see our How to Set Up Multiple Phish Alert Button Instances article.

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Uninstallation

To remove the PAB for Outlook, you can uninstall the program from the Control Panel, use a command line, or your group policy. For more information, see the list below:

1. Control Panel Uninstall: On each computer where the PAB for Outlook is installed, access your Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs area to uninstall the KnowBe4 Phish Alert Button.

2. Command-line Uninstall: Open Command Prompt as an administrator and. In the Command Prompt window, enter the following command:

   msiexec /x PhishAlert.msi

3. Group Policy Uninstall: Edit the original .bat file that you used to set up the installation via Group Policy. In the file, include the following line:

   msiexec /quiet /x C:\PhishAlert.msi

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User Experience

Once installed, the PAB for Outlook will display as a button on the Outlook Home tab. The PAB for Outlook will also display if users right-click an open email.

A user can report any email as a phishing email. Once reported, the user will see one of the confirmation messages below:

1. If the email was a simulated phishing email from us, a pop-up confirmation message will display to tell the user that they correctly identified a simulated phishing attack. This will be reflected in the console as a reported email.
   
2. If the email was NOT a simulated email, but possibly an actual malicious or phishing email, the email will be forwarded to the email address(es) set in the account area of your console and the email will be attached as a .eml file for analysis by your IT security team. You can also choose to have a copy of the email forwarded to us for research and analytic purposes. We strongly encourage you to enable this option.
   
   

The reported email will be in the user's Sent Items folder as a forwarded message and deleted from the user's Inbox. If the user incorrectly reported the email, they can retrieve it from their Deleted items and Trash folders.

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Troubleshooting

If you installed the PAB for Outlook by using the Group Policy method and do not see the PAB on Outlook's Home tab, follow the steps below:

1. Check your Add/Remove Programs list for the KnowBe4 Phish Alert Button. If you don't see this button, attempt to follow the Command Prompt instructions in step three below. If you see KnowBe4 Phish Alert Button on this list, continue to the next step.
2. Open the Services application, services.msc, and check to see if the KnowBe4 Phish Alert Button OpManager Service (poeopmanager) service is running. If not, start the service or restart the computer.
3. Open an elevated Command Prompt window on the computer you’re attempting to install the PAB for Outlook on. Enter the commands listed below:
• gpupdate /force: This command will force a Group Policy update on the computer you are logged in to.
• gpresult /r: This entry will let you review whether or not the Group Policy you set up is being applied to the computer you are logged in to.
4. Make sure you are using a UNC file path with your GPO installation. For example, a UNC file path could be: “\\Server\Volume\File”.

   Note: If you are installing by using a .bat file, ensure that you are running the file as an administrator.

5. Restart the computer.

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Next Steps

After you have installed the PAB for Outlook, we recommend reviewing the following material for more information on maintaining and customizing your PAB:

• See our Best Practices for Phish Alert Button (PAB) Implementation article. This article includes information on the benefits of using the PAB, suggestions for PAB training, and suggestions for notifying your end users.
• If you would like to define unique settings, such as prompt messages or additonal languages, for specific end users, you can set up multiple PAB instances. For more information, see our Multiple Phish Alert Button Instances (Multi-PAB): Microsoft 365/Exchange article.
• If you would like, you can customize the PAB icon. For more information, see our How to Change the PAB Icon article.
• For answers to common questions about the PAB, see our FAQ: Phish Alert Button (PAB) article.
• For more information about viewing reported email data, see the PAB Reporting section of our Phish Alert Button (PAB) Product Manual article.

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