Safe E-Mail Practices

Steps to protect your computer from email viruses

Most of the latest viruses (if not all) seem to propagate via email (either in the form of attachments or script code embedded in HTML emails). You may also notice an increased number of emails in your mailbox from sources unknownto you.

As virus threats increase, we shouldensure that wetake some measures to protect our systems.To this end,I haveput togetherthis simple check list:
  • Make sure your antivirus program is always running and its up-to-date .
  • Keep your computer operating system up-to-date, with latest patches (this is automatically done for all W2K/XP computers in COB).
  • Donot open emails from senders you do not know, in particularif they have attachments .
  • Disable the Preview Pane in Outlook Express . Click on View, Layout and uncheckthe Preview Pane.
  • Disable the Preview Pane or Auto Preview in Outlook . Click on View,unselectPreview Pane and Auto Preview.
  • Enable attachmentsecurity in Outlook Express :
    • Click Tools - Options - Security
    • Check "Do not allowattachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus".
    • The above setting will not let you accessANY attachments (including word, excel, power point, etc.)
    • If you need to enable attachments then, uncheck the "Do not allowattachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus". But, do the following:
      • DO NOT openattachments if you were not expecting one (even from "known" senders) - check with sender first (via phone or email).
      • Turn on Microsoft Office Macro Virus Protection
        • Open Word, click on Tools, Macros, Security
        • Under Security Level, choose "Medium" or "High".
  • Do not accept any download from the Internet when browsing unless you are 100% sure what it is.
  • Make backups of your data regularly.

Additional tips could be found here.