4 Avoiding viruses, worms and Trojans
4.1 Email attachments
Following some simple rules should help you to minimise the risks from malware. The first rule is:
- Never ‘double click’ to open a file attached to an email
Instead, what you should do is:
- Create a folder called ‘Attachments’ (or something similar) in an accessible location within your file structure. Mine is in ‘My Documents’ and is called ‘My Received Files’.
- Save the attachment to this folder – no matter who the source is. Remember that many infections arrive from friends.
- Scan the new file in this folder using your antivirus software.
- If no alerts are seen then you can open the file.
- If you were not expecting an attached file check with the person who sent you the email that they have sent it intentionally.
No software company will send unsolicited email messages using an attachment that claims to be a patch or an update.
4.1.1 Other files
Scan any files you download from the Internet via your web browser or other software before you run them.
Treat files given to you on a floppy disk, CD or memory stick the same way: scan them before you open them.