Indiana University
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Protecting against viral email attachments

Use antivirus software

The most important thing you can do to protect your computer from viruses is use antivirus software.

Note: The University Information Security Office (UISO) recommends that you run the latest version of Symantec/Norton AntiVirus software (available to IU students, faculty, and staff for free via IUware) for your operating system, being sure to upgrade safely (see In Windows, how do I safely upgrade to the latest Symantec Endpoint or AntiVirus software?) and to update your virus definitions daily and scan your computer weekly. For instructions, see:

Handle attachments wisely

Email attachments are frequently the culprits in virus attacks, and simply saving an attachment to your computer will not remove a virus. To protect yourself from viruses transmitted through email attachments:

  • Don't open any attachment you were not expecting, even if it comes from a trusted source, such as a family member, co-worker, or friend.

  • If you do not know the sender of a message that includes an attachment, always delete the message without reading it.

  • Do not open any attached file ending in .exe, .vbs, or .lnk.

  • Never open an attachment unless you have verified that it is virus free. To open an attachment, first save it to your hard drive and then scan it with antivirus software, such as SAV/NAV. For instructions, see Using Symantec/Norton AntiVirus Corporate Edition, how do I immediately scan a file, folder, or drive for viruses?

Note: The most recent versions of Eudora (4.2 and later) will warn you before opening many kinds of attachments, but will not warn you before opening .vbs or .lnk files. For more on Eudora security risks, see the Eudora Email Security Advisory page.