Security threats and protection against them » Safe use of e-mail — Things to keep in mind

Safe use of e-mail — Things to keep in mind

  • If the subject of an e-mail message is suspicious, do not open the message. Remember that a message with a virus or a worm may also be sent by someone you know, a business acquaintance or a friend. You can safely delete suspicious e-mails without opening them.
  • If you decide to open the e-mail, be wary of messages that are written in a language that the sender would not normally use. If necessary, confirm the origin of the message from its sender.
  • Do not open suspicious e-mail attachments. Especially files ending in .COM, .EXE, .SHS, .PIF and .VBS are typical examples of malware distributed through e-mail. Some files may have two endings in a row, for example image.jpg.VBS or text.rtf.EXE. Make sure that the e-mail program you use displays the file name endings. Otherwise, you only see the file names "image.jpg" and "text.rtf" that seem harmless.
  • If your e-mail program has a preview function, remember to set the security settings so that you can use the preview feature safely. Do not allow the program to retrieve or display images behind links to other locations.
  • Avoid messages including HTML or rich text formats. The recipient may not be able to view them correctly, and your message will not be delivered. Set your e-mail program to use only plain text, and when you reply to a message, copy only the necessary parts of the previous message.
Site updated 18.11.2008   Print Print