FAQs and Troubleshooting

FAQ: Phish Alert Button (PAB)

Below are some commonly asked questions about the PAB, categorized by topic. If you don't see the answer you need, submit a ticket to our support team.

Installation

1. Question: How do I find out which version of PAB I have installed?

Answer: If you are using the Outlook PAB, the PAB version can find it using the following method:

  1. Navigate to your Control Panel > Programs.
  2. Click Programs and Features.
  3. Navigate to Phish Alert either by scrolling or using the search bar to search for it.
  4. Check the Version column for the version number.

If you are using the new Hybrid PAB, which combines the manifest files for Exchange and Microsoft 365, a small icon will appear to inform you about whether you are using Exchange or Microsoft PAB. The version numbers for the server PABs are as follows:

Exchange PAB Version 1.0.0.0
Microsoft 365 PAB Version 2.0.0.0

If you are using Chrome PAB, the extension version updates automatically. You can check the current version by clicking on the Phish Alert icon to the right of the search bar of your Chrome browser.

  1. Hover over More Tools and select Extensions.
  2. Locate the Phish Alert extension and click Details. From the details window, you'll be able to see the version number. 

2. Question: Can both the client and server PAB be installed on the same device?

Answer: Yes, both can be installed on the same device and used without any issues.

3. Question: What is the total number of allowed characters for the non-simulated email message for the PAB?

Answer: The total number of characters is 469 or six full lines of text.

4. Question: Does the PAB update automatically?

Answer:  Each version of the PAB updates automatically. If you experience issues with automatic PAB updates, you can download and reinstall the PAB version's manifest file from your KSAT Account Settings page.

5. Question: What connections are required in order for the PAB to function?

 Answer: The PAB needs to be able to send an HTTP POST request on port 443, which is the default port for HTTP, to the domain associated with your KnowBe4 account:

  • *.knowbe4.com
    • Example: training.knowbe4.com, eu.knowbe4.com, etc.

Depending on your setup, some proxies or firewalls may need the full path. If this is the case, please ensure that your PCs can reach https://training.knowbe4.com/api/v1/phishalert/ by allowing outbound connections to remote servers on port 443, which is the server URL the PAB is trying to contact with a POST request.

Note:If you are using Microsoft 365 PAB, the PAB needs to be able to send an HTTP POST request on port 443 to the domain associated with your KnowBe4 account:
  • If your account is located at training.knowbe4.com:
    • us.pab.knowbe4.com
  • For all other KnowBe4 account domains:
    • *.pab.knowbe4.com
      • Example: eu.pab.knowbe4.com, ca.knowbe4.com, etc.

6. Question: Is the PAB proxy-aware?

 Answer: No, the PAB is not proxy-aware.

7. Question: Can I publish the Microsoft 365 or Outlook Mobile App PAB add-in using any other method?

Answer: Yes, the add-in can also be sideloaded. Please contact support for assistance.

8. Question: Will I still be able to get a copy of the Microsoft 365 and Exchange-only manifest files?

Answer: Yes, please contact support for assistance.

9. Question: What changes can I make to the XML manifest file?

Answer: Our team only supports and encourages the changes outlined in our documentation.

For more information, see the links below:

10. Question: What is the file attachment size limit for each version of the PAB?

 Answer: The chart below shows the file attachment size limits for each version of the PAB.

PAB Version Attachment Size Limit
Chrome Extension 10 MB
Gmail Add-on 10 MB
Hybrid for Microsoft 365 25 MB
Hybrid for Exchange 1 MB
Microsoft Ribbon 25 MB
Note:If you send attachments with the PAB for Outlook, the size limit varies depending on external factors, including the attachment type or the APIs associated with your version of Outlook, Outlook Web Access (OWA), or Microsoft 365. We recommend limiting attachments to 20 MB or less when you use the PAB for Outlook.

User Experience

11. Question: Can we use our own logo for the PAB?

Answer: Yes. You can add your own custom logo to use for the PAB from your Account Settings page. For more information about how to do this and the requirements for the image, see our How to Change the Phish Alert Button (PAB) Icon article.

12. Question: Is the Phish Hook icon customizable for the Gmail add-on?

Answer: No, the Phish Hook icon is not customizable for Gmail.

13. Question: Can we change the language of the PAB text and prompt messages?

Answer: Yes! Our Language Aware feature is already implemented for all Outlook add-in versions of the PAB, which includes the Exchange and Microsoft 365 versions. You can add as many languages as you would like to every PAB instance that you may have. For more information on how to access this new feature, please see our Adding Languages to the PAB article.

14. Question: Can I pin the PAB in my Outlook mailbox?

Answer: Yes, you can pin the PAB to your Outlook mailbox. Follow the instructions below to learn how to pin the PAB:

  1. Select Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Customize actions.
  2. Select the check box for the Phish Alert Button.

For more information on using add-ins in Outlook, visit Microsoft's Using add-ins in Outlook article.

15. Question: How do I enable the PAB prompts that were hidden in my Outlook mailbox?

Answer: Your Outlook mailbox provides a PAB instance setting that determines whether or not the confirmation screen is displayed when you report an email.

Follow the instructions below to learn how to re-enable hidden prompts for the PAB:

  1. In Outlook, navigate to the File tab and select the name of the PAB instance.
  2. Under Settings, uncheck the Hide Prompts check box. The confirmation screen will be displayed when you report a message with the PAB.
Note:If you have a version of the PAB for Outlook that displays the confirmation screen with the Do not show confirmations again check box, you can also select this check box to hide the prompts. You'll still need to uncheck the Hide Prompts check box to re-enable the prompts.

16. Question: What file type will emails be forwarded in after being reported by my users?

Answer: You can set your file type for reported emails to either .eml or .msg in your Account Settings > Phish Alert section. To use the .msg attachment option, you must have the Hybrid PAB deployed in your Microsoft 365 mail server. If you use an on-prem mail server, only the .eml file type version is available.

Troubleshooting

17. Question: I'm getting an add-in error while using Microsoft 365 Server PAB. How do I resolve this issue?

Answer: If you are receiving this error, you will want to check your Internet Explorer settings by doing the following:

  1. In Internet Explorer, navigate to Tools > Internet Options.
  2. Go to Security > Internet Site Zone.
  3. Make sure the Enable Protected Mode checkbox is selected.
  4. Restart Internet Explorer and Outlook.

For more information, see Microsoft's article on the subject here on their support site.

18. Question: My Outlook PAB is disappearing. How do I resolve this issue?

Answer: If your PAB is disappearing on Outlook and you are using a Mac device, follow these steps to fix this:

  1. Navigate to Outlook > Settings... > Privacy.
  2. In the Privacy pop-up window, select the Turn on optional connected experiences check box.
  3. Restart Outlook.

If your PAB is disappearing on Outlook and you are using a Windows device, follow these steps to fix this:

  1. In Outlook, go to File > Options.
  2. Go to General > Privacy Settings.
  3. Select the check box next to Enable optional connected experiences.
  4. Restart Outlook.

19. Question: I use Cryptshare's Outlook add-in - why isn't my PAB add-in working as expected?

Answer: 

Cryptshare Outlook add-in users have reported issues with the Outlook client PAB not working as expected, and that when users report emails, the PAB opens up a new email dialogue instead of forwarding the reported phishing email.

To correct this issue, we recommend using the Hybrid PAB instead, which has not had any reported issues when used alongside Cryptshare.

20. Question: Why aren't my users seeing the PAB in their Outlook app on their phones?

Answer: This could be caused by the add-in not being made mandatory during the installation process. This can be found in the How to Install the PAB in the Microsoft Exchange Admin Center section of the Hybrid Phish Alert Button Product Manual article.The PAB will not appear in Outlook for mobile if the add-in was not deployed using the Fixed method. Your users must enable the PAB themselves in their Outlook app settings.

Integrations

21. Question: Can I add my Proofpoint email address to the Enable Email Forwarding feature?

Answer: You can add your Proofpoint email address to the Send Non-Simulated Emails to: box under the Phish Alert section of your Account Settings. For more information on the Enable Email Forwarding feature, visit our Phish Alert Button Product Manual.

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