Virus Checking for your e-mail

[Michael Maul <Michael.Maul@nsc.com>]

I received several questions about using virus checkers to catch some of the 
virus attacks that seem to be on most of the email groups I subscribe to.

First - I'm not an expert on this but this is what I do.

1.  If you are using the internet - you need an antivirus program on your PC.
In my view - if you don't - you will not be on the internet long before you
get something you didn't want.
You can use any of the standard ones - Norton, Mcafee - I don't think there
is a lot of difference between them if used properly. 
 
2. Used properly - means frequent updates of the data files.  In most of these 
programs - there is an update menu item that will do it automatically if
you are on-line.  Typically you get 1 year of updates when you purchase the
program - you may have to pay after that for a subscription. I update every two
weeks and if something new comes out on the news like Melissa - I update
as soon as the antivirus companies have a fix.  Some antivirus companies may
only update once a month but you have to know when or you could be a month
w/o a current update.

3. Used properly also means you need to check e-mail as it is 
downloaded - not just when an attached program is executed.
If you just check on execution - then some of the recent MS Outlook virus
may be missed.  My understanding is that some of the problems occur as soon as 
Outlook and Outlook express load the message into your Inbox without you even
reading the message.

If you look at the options with your antivirus program - there should be an 
option to check e-mail as it comes in - McAfee VirusShield does this. It may
say check incoming files or check e-mail.

If you use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express for your mail - you are more at
risk because many take advantage of capabilities in these tools. They use your
address book to send infected copies to everyone listed.

My understanding is that if you use Netscape, Eudora, or a number of other
mail tools - you will not be propagating the MS based ones but your system 
can still be damaged.

I believe that getting the group e-mail in digest form is safer - some of the 
digests will not include attachments but I don't guarantee it.  In addition -
as long as you don't open the attachments - I believe that getting your
e-mail at an online account like hotmail, yahoo is safer because the 
mail is never on your system.  Anyone who knows more about this - I would 
appreciate comments.

Bottom line is that you really do need antivirus software today and to update
the virus descriptions frequently. About 100 new ones appear each month.

Mike
W/CT Regions
Sunnyvale/Houston