PazSt_Ft2k ( Tip, Trick PC )

Most e-mail viruses only exist to replicate themselves, kind of like a digital bacteria. Others may do damage to your computer's files or even make your hard drive inaccessible.
What can you do?
1. Don't open attachments if you're not expecting them - EVER. If you get an attachment, e-mail whoever it was that sent it to you to confirm it's not a virus. Checking it with your anti-virus software isn't a bad idea either. Next to good anti-virus software, this is the #1 way to keep your computer virus free. If you don't have any anti-virus software, get some. And keep it up to date.
2. If you have anti-virus software that's up to date, don't rely on it to stop every virus. New viruses (10-15) are created each and every day. No one had a defense when the ILOVEYOU virus first hit, but folks who didn't run the attachment got away unscathed. (Although Norton AV seems to have updates available within hours of a new virus discovery)
3. Finally, there is a slim chance that you may run across a virus that can infect your computer without it being run.

These viruses take advantage of a security holes in some e-mail clients, namely Outlook / Outlook Express (they can also infect you if it's on a web page viewed with MS Internet Explorer). These holes have been sealed through a patch you can get from Microsoft.

The lesson? Keep both Internet Explorer and Outlook / Outlook Express up to date. Updates are free, so there's no good reason not to keep your software current.

Remember, 99.99% of the viruses out there must be run by YOU in order to infect your computer. If you get a virus e-mailed to you, you're generally safe reading the body of the e-mail message, JUST DON'T RUN THE ATTACHMENT!! A virus can't infect your computer until you give it your consent (well, unless someone hacks into your machine and runs it, but that's another newsletter).

If you do get a file that you suspect contains a virus, just delete it.

Don't open attachments if you're not expecting them - EVER. If you get an attachment, e-mail whoever it was that sent it to you to confirm it's not a virus. Checking it with your anti-virus software isn't a bad idea either.

Next, some other ways to pick up a virus.