Email Viruses
The message here is simple: avoid computer viruses that spread through e-mail attachments. Many of the most common viruses or other malicious software like Trojan Horse or worms are spread through email attachments.
Here is an example:
Subject: Important document for Contest Winner
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:02:41 +0000
From: Internet Meany <iammean@iammean.org>
To: Dear Contest Winner <student@westga.edu> Hello Contest Winner, you have won our contest. I have attached a private file containing instructions on how to claim your winnings. Remember it is a private file. You’ll need to use the password below to open the file. Good luck! Password is 123
There are some very basic rules to follow when it comes to opening Email attachments:
- Use an antivirus software and keep it updated.
- Don’t just click on things that people forward to you. Open an attachment only if you know who it's from and you were expecting it.
- Use an e-mail program with spam filtering built-in such as Outlook or Thunderbird.
- There should be NO doubt or question about this one: If you receive an e-mail with an attachment from someone you don't know, delete it
- If you need to send an e-mail attachment to someone, be courteous and let them know you'll be sending it.
- Don’t just forward things to people without thinking about it first.
- For more information about Email viruses and other forms of malicious software you can do a search in Google or go to: *http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_Horse_(Computing)