How to Protect Yourself When Working with E-mail | Free Antivirus

E-mail is one of the most popular ways of spreading malware on the Internet today.

A regular email message is just text, it can't be dangerous on its own. However, you can attach a file called an attachment file or attachment file to your message, which may well be malware or a virus-infected file.

Malicious programs are, in one way or another, executable files (stand-alone or command (scripts)) that are triggered when executed on a given computer. You can formulate the following tactics in the fight against them:

- First, prevent malicious programs from getting on your computer;

- secondly, if they have already come to you, in no case launch them for execution;

- thirdly, if they do start, take measures so that, if possible, they do not cause damage.

If you receive a message with a virus, it means that you have already unwittingly taken the first preliminary step on the way to infecting your computer, since the dangerous file has been saved on your hard disk. While this is not fatal, but very dangerous, therefore, first of all, it is necessary to take measures to ensure that this does not happen in the future.

Many telecom operators have several filters on their mail servers that cut off suspicious messages. However, despite the obvious efficiency of the system-wide filter, it is still not enough to ensure security, since it is designed to neutralize already known viruses, while new viruses can still freely enter the mailbox. Therefore, the user needs to take additional security measures.

The most effective way to protect your mailbox from malware is to deny messages containing executable attachments. If the subscriber turns on such a filter, then all messages containing executable files will be automatically deleted directly on the mail server. Despite the seemingly radical nature of such a measure, it is very effective and in most cases does not lead to inconvenience or restriction of user capabilities. First, as a rule, documents and images are usually sent by e-mail, but not programs; secondly, if you need to receive the program by mail, you can agree with the sender to pre-pack it using some archiver, for example, Winzip or WinRar. The benefits will be double,

There is one more way not to save suspicious messages on your computer. The idea is to first receive from the server and view only message headers and delete unnecessary messages directly on the server, without downloading them to your computer. For this, you can use special programs.

If the circumstances are such that you cannot organize your work so as not to receive messages with executable files, which means that messages with malicious programs can be received by you, then you need to take measures to ensure that malicious programs are not launched in any way. for execution.

To run the attachment file for execution, open the message in a separate window by double-clicking on the message line in the list (the message with the attachment is marked with a paper clip) and open the attachment file by double-clicking on the file name in the message header ("Attach" field) ...

Considering the above, it is necessary to make it a rule not to open the message (by double-clicking the mouse), especially if the message came from an unknown sender. You can always read the text in the quick view mode (when, when you single-click on a message in the list, the message text is displayed not in a separate, but in the main program window). Delete all suspicious messages immediately.

Also, never open immediately sent attachments, including files from friends, colleagues or sent on behalf of well-known companies. Be aware that messages that appear to be from people you know may be mailing lists sent by network worms. Also keep in mind that without your knowledge, no reputable organization will send files, even if it is important data such as system updates or another virus protection.

Pay attention to the file extension. Files with the following extensions can be especially dangerous:

-ade ADP bas bat

-the cmd com CPL

-crt eml exe help

-the inf ins isp

- use link mdb mde

-MSC MSI MSP MST

-pcd pif reg SCR

-sct shs URL VBS

-be wif wish wsc

Malicious files are often disguised as ordinary graphics, audio and video files. To see the real file extension, be sure to enable the display mode of file extensions in the system.

Be very careful when receiving messages with file attachments. It is better to delete suspicious messages immediately.

To delete a message in the mail program completely:

- delete the message from the Inbox folder;

- delete the message from the Deleted Items folder;

- perform the "Compress" operation on the folders (File / Folder / Compress all folders).

Unfortunately, it should be noted that even with a firm intention not to open immediately sent files, it cannot be ruled out that they will be launched anyway: due to a software error, by mistake or misunderstanding. However, even under these conditions, it is possible to take countermeasures.

First of all, make sure that you have the latest software updates installed.

It is not superfluous to install a personal firewall. It should indicate an exhaustive list of programs and ports and services available to them. As soon as some unfamiliar program tries to send mail, it will be immediately detected, and the infection will not spread further from your computer.

Also, special watchdog programs, usually included in anti-virus packages, are capable of monitoring and blocking dangerous actions that malicious programs can perform (accessing files, disk boot area, system registry, etc.). Such programs are usually automatically launched for execution when the operating system boots up and quietly trace the actions of the programs.

Finally, we recommend that you pay more attention to what is happening on your computer during an Internet connection. If you notice that while you are not performing any actions with the network, the indicator of the activity of data transmission over the network indicates the opposite, immediately stop the connection and check your computer with anti-virus programs. An external modem (the lights are blinking), the icon of two connected computers that appears when a connection is established at the bottom of the taskbar (blinking) can serve as an indicator of the activity of working with the network.

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