How to Prevent Email Viruses
When a computer is infected with an email virus, the virus will gather email addresses from the user's address book and any email files stored on the computer. It will then send a copy of itself to all the addresses (in an innocent-looking message), hoping someone will click on it and then the process will start all over again. Unless you take preventative measures, viruses will continue spreading in an endless cycle.
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Instructions
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Install an effective antivirus program that you've purchased from a reputable vendor or dealer. Some disreputable sources sell software trojans disguised as antivirus protection, so choose a vendor you trust or whose integrity you can verify. Nortan and McAfee are trusted names.
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Update the antivirus program and download updated virus definitions Though this is typically an automatic process during installation, you may have to do it manually. After updating, configure your antivirus program to make automatic updates.
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Disable automatic opening of attachments. Some email clients can be configured to open attachments automatically when you open the email, which doesn't give a user the opportunity to examine an attachment before it's run. Locate the setting in your email and turn this feature off.
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Examine attachments and their senders before opening the attachments. Don't open unless you know who sent it, or at least know why it was sent to you. An email virus will send itself to people in your address book in an innocent-looking message. Although you may know the senders and it appears to be a message from them, don't open an unexpected attachment unless without verifying it came from them. Send an email requesting further information. If the sender doesn't verify, a virus probably sent it and it should be deleted.
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Scan all attachments. Before opening any email attachment, scan it with your antivirus program. Though an attachment may be from someone you know and may be expected, it could still be infected with a virus and the sender doesn't know it.
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Schedule regular scans. It's possible that a virus slipped through all the precautions and scans, and has infected your computer. If you don't regularly schedule full scans of your computer, you may never know about the infection.
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Tips & Warnings
Let your correspondents know if their computers have sent you an email virus. They also must scan for viruses.
