Bushwise Web Guide part 2 - Viruses and Unwanted Emails.

Following on from our previous article Sending and Reveiving Emails, here's some suggestions on keeping yourself safe from viruses, fraud and junk emails. Since the junk email and fraud is easier to understand and deal with, we'll discuss those first.

The Do's and Don't of unwanted emails (commonly referred to as SPAM).

• Do check your email online via the web first if possible (as suggested in the previous article), this allows you to identify much of the junk before you download it and delete it there, saving time and frustration. Experience will help you identify emails from their subject line ( a good reason to put useful subject lines on your own emails).
• Don't think that just because your name is in the subject line that the sender knows you. There are programs that search the internet for email addresses, then send emails out using the first part of the email address. We constantly get emails to "admin@bushwise.co.nz" with titles like "Dear admin, here's the info you asked for ...". There are a lot of other tricks that are used to get you to read the email too.
• Do ignore junk emails, and definitely don't reply. If it's too good to be true then that's exactly what it is, and anytway, the reply email is most likely incorrect, either it will be invalid, or someone totally unconnected with the communication. Don't send on chainletters etc. either, if it's a good cause then it's best to sign up at a website, emails that tell you to pass a copy on to everyone you know are another form of virus (see later). Worst of all, sometimes the email address you reply to is actually a mailing list, so your reply is emailed to everyone who received the email, and if everyone replied to it in this way, the word exponential just doesn't begin to describe what happens next.
• Don't try to unsubscribe from any email list unless you know know for a fact you subscribed. Many junk emails have messages that say "to unsubscribe click here ..." or similar. These won't work, and what they may do is tell the program that sent out the junk emails that there is a warm, breathing marketing opportunity at your email address, which will invite even more junk emails.
• Do use your email programs facilities to filter emails based on senders email address, key words in the subject line etc. Most email programs have this, and it allows you to automatically delete unwanted emails as they download.
• Do be careful when setting up automatic filtering. It pays to save the unwanted emails into a special folder and have a quick browse through the folder before deleting it's contents - that way you are less likely to end up filtering out wanted emails by accident.

Viruses

• Use some or all of the suggestions above to keep unwanted emails off your computer.
• Install a virus checking program, you can get some free (we'll post some option soon), you often get one installed when you buy your PC, or you can buy one. These programs monitor programs, check emails and generally try to catch programs that have malicious behaviour. many will also offer to fix damage (if possible).
• Never open, click on or run a file emailed to you unless you are expecting it or trust the person who sent it. Even images (or what appear to be images) can be dangerous, a file with the name "pussycat.jpg.pif" is not a jpeg (jpg) image, it's a program (pif). If you are unsure, email the sender back to check first.
• If you get an email from someone apologising for sending you a virus and telling you to delete a particular file from your system - don't. One of the most common forms of virus is the hoax/ bogus virus warning. This encourages people to delete files which are actually valid and necessary for the correct operation of their computer.
• If you get a suspicious email from someone you know, don't immediately assume they sent it to you. Some of the more common virus programs get into the infected PC's email address book and send out copies of itself, disguised as email messages, to all the people listed in the address book, but also pretends the message is sent by someone else in the address book. This means that you and your friend may just be unlucky to be both in a third persons address book.

The bottom line is, take all the obvious precautions you can, and get proper advice before taking action if you do think you have received a virus.