Be Vigilant About the Dangers of Email Attachments
Many of the most malicious computer viruses and malware programs are spread through email attachments. When opened, these attachments can give hackers complete control of your machine, initiate an attack on another machine, start sending out copies of itself to email addresses it finds on your hard drive, or even all of the above.
Luckily, it is easy to prevent this type of attack. Use your judgment to determine which attachments to download and which ones to leave unopened. If the attachment is from a stranger, it is best not to open it. Likewise, if you do not recognize the file type of the attachment, it could be dangerous.
For more information and tips about keeping yourself and your computer safe from hacking attempts made through email attachments, visit our Email Attachments and Viruses page. To learn about other tips for protecting yourself and others from computer-related crimes, visit our Safe Computing website.
Last updated: 2/26/09