How to Spot a Computer Virus in an Email Inbox

Computer viruses are insidious pieces of software that can cause a great deal of destruction in a short amount of time. Email is an especially popular way of transmitting computer viruses, but unfortunately when it comes to email it's not always possible to tell friend from foe. With the proper precautions, though, you can avoid an infection. Read on for some tips for recognizing a virus in your inbox.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Expect a virus to come in the form of an attachment. Be especially cautious of opening attachments in emails, even from people you know. Viruses can send themselves out to everyone in an email address book without the person's knowledge, so the fact that an attachment comes from a friend does not necessarily mean anything.

2. Read the titles carefully on all emails with attachments. If the title sounds suspicious then call the person it's from to verify whether they meant to send it.

3. Look for emails containing attachments from people you don't know. If you receive an attachment from an unknown email address, there's a good chance it could contain a virus.

4. Scan your inbox for spam emails, as these could potentially be infected with a computer virus.

5. Stay up-to-date on any computer viruses currently circulating through email. If you know the specific dangers to watch for then you will be less susceptible to falling prey to them.

6. Use anti-virus software to detect email viruses for you. Keep in mind, though, that this software will not always be able to recognize the very latest viruses.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask everyone who emails you to let you know if they will be sending you an email with an attachment. This way you won't have to worry about potentially opening an infected attachment.