Do not open any files attached to an e-mail from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source (e.g.
,
, etc.)
Do not open any files attached to an e-mail unless you know what it is even if it appears to come from a friend or someone you know. Some viruses replicate themselves and spread through e-mail without the sender being aware that he/she is spreading a virus. Better be safe than sorry and confirm with the sender that he/she intentioned to send you an attachment.
Do not open any files attached to an e-mail if the subject line is questionable or unexpected. Confirm the nature of the file with the sender before saving the file to your hard drive.
Delete chain emails and junk e-mail. Do not forward or reply to any to them. These types of e-mail messages are considered spam, which is unsolicited, intrusive mail that clogs up the network.
Do not download any files from strangers.
Exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Ensure that the source is a legitimate and reputable one. Verify that an anti-virus program checks the files on the download site. If you're uncertain, don't download the file at all or download the file to a floppy and test it with your own anti-virus software.
Update your anti-virus software regularly. Over 500 viruses are discovered each month and you want to be protected.
Back up your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can recover them from your back-up copy. You should store your backup copy in a separate location from your work files, one that is preferably not on your computer.
When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, or execute any files or e-mail attachments. Not executing is the more important of these caveats. Check with your product vendors for updates which include those for your operating system, web browser, and e-mail. One example is the security site section of Microsoft located at http://www.microsoft.com/security.
