Secure your email from viruses

1. Change your Windows operating system settings so that you can see the true file extensions. On Windows systems, open Windows Explorer. Under the View menu, select Options. Select "Display the Full MS-DOS path in the title bar." You can also get to this by clicking on My Computer, then View, then Options, then the View tab. Never click on a file that ends in .exe or .pif or .vbs as these are files that launch "programs". Even MS Word .doc files can be programmed to harm your computer( macro viruses), so while you do not need to be paranoid, you do need to be vigilant. 2. Create a phony contact record within your email address book. If a virus gets onto your computer, it typically heads straight for your email address book. It then replicates itself and sends itself to everyone in your address book, thus sending infected emails to all your friends. 3. Choose an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that offers virus filtering on all email. This means that your ISP catch and delete messages that have viruses or worms attached to them. Most ISPs will then send notice to you that the email did not get through because of the attachment. For a list of ISPs who provide specialized add-ons such as anti-spam and anti-virus filtering services, go to http://www.choosinganisp.com. 4. Educate other users within your company and/or household how to scan for viruses on the PC. Teach children how to spot suspicious email attachments. 5. Get in the real habit of backing up data. If you have had virus infections in the past, chances are that your backup disks are also infected and need to be scanned for viruses.