Security, Email and the Internet
Viruses have become the scourge of email users and can have devastating effects on your PC if you are unlucky enough to get caught by one of the nasty ones e.g. Chernobyl. However, they are easy enough to avoid with a modicum of effort and common sense.
- install a good virus scanner (e.g. the free AVG scanner) and update the virus signatures at least once a week
- never open attachments you are not expecting or any that look suspicious, e.g. ending in .exe, .vbx, .dll, .scr etc - delete them immediately
- scan all attachments before opening them
- ignore virus "warnings" - they are always hoaxes; trust your virus scanner
- ask your correspondents to send Word documents in RTF format as it cannot contain macro viruses
Junk mail has become the second scourge of email users, though its effects are usually annoying rather than destructive. No matter how hard you try, the "spammers" eventually get your address and then the torrent of unwanted advertising start to pour in. Although it can't be avoided altogether, it can be minimised.
- guard your real email address jealously and tell your friends to keep it confidential
- never use your real email address on the internet - sign up for a second account and use that when you have to give your email address to any organisation
- check to see if your email account has "junk" filters which automatically send unsolicited mail to the recycle bin