A method and apparatus for controlling access to network resources referenced in electronic mail messages comprises the computer-implemented steps of receiving an electronic mail message that comprises one or more hyperlinks; modifying the one or more hyperlinks by associating an identifier value with each of the one or more hyperlinks; receiving a request to access a specified hyperlink among the one or more hyperlinks; determining, based on the identifier value that is associated with the specified hyperlink, a particular action among a plurality of allowed actions; and issuing a network request to access the specified hyperlink only when the particular action is allowing user access to the specified hyperlink.