advice on e-mail
Quick guide
You can use e-mail software or your ISP's Web-based e-mail.
Use e-mail software other than MS Outlook or Outlook Express, which are prone to viruses.
Apply the latest security fixes, especially if you must use Outlook/Outlook Express.
Use anti-virus software and keep it up to date.
Set your e-mail preferences to send in Plain Text format not HTML format.
Use spam-filtering software.
Back up your e-mail folders regularly.
Types of e-mail software
E-mail software (sometimes called an e-mail client) may be a stand-alone software package or it may be bundled within a Web browser.
The commonly-used Microsoft (MS) Outlook Express gives the appearance of being stand-alone but is actually bundled with the Internet Explorer browser (IE). When you install IE you also install Outlook Express.
The third possibility is Web-based e-mail. Here, you don't use e-mail software at all but access your e-mail via a Web site. Purely Web-based e-mail services (such as MS HotMail) sometimes sell your e-mail address to other companies, so you may receive lots of junk e-mail. We therefore don't normally recommend Web-based e-mail except for casual or temporary use (which is why spammers use it). But some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) give you a choice of using either your own e-mail software or accessing your e-mail via the Web. Their Web-based e-mail service is much less likely to sell your e-mail address – indeed, it may offer spam- and virus-filtering.
Choice of e-mail software
This is the most important piece of software you have (along with your browser) that must be resistant to viruses.
Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) allow you to use whatever e-mail software (and browser) you choose to access their services. Even if your browser is bundled with e-mail software, you can still choose to use an alternative (stand-alone) e-mail package if you want.
The most widely used is Microsoft Outlook Express (or the more powerful Outlook). In terms of their features, both are good pieces of e-mail software. However, because they are so widely used, they are almost the only e-mail software for which virus writers code their viruses. That is a very practical reason for using alternative e-mail software – there are plenty which are as good as Outlook. The Opera browser has excellent built-in e-mail software with advanced spam filtering. The Mozilla Foundation's Thunderbird e-mail program also has advanced spam filtering.
Keep your software up to date
Microsoft updates its software in three ways:-
- new, improved versions with new version numbers
- Updates (fixes or patches) to address specific flaws
- Service Packs (these contain a group of fixes).
MS Outlook Express (and MS Outlook) have a history of vulnerability to virus attack. If you must use them, it's vital that you visit the Microsoft site regularly and apply the latest Critical Security Updates (or use Windows Update). Because Outlook Express is bundled with the Internet Explorer browser and shares some of its (vulnerable) code, you will be updating your browser as well. See Syntactic's advice on Internet Explorer security for information.
Outlook users should visit the Microsoft Office Download Center.
For other e-mail software (and browsers), it's worth checking for updates, especially those which include bug- and virus-fixes.
Use anti-virus software
A package such as Norton Anti-Virus is essential but don't let it give you a false sense of security – the other measures we outline on this page are also vital. Some viruses are known to disable anti-virus software. The vendors release new virus definitions several times a month but there is always a short delay following the appearance of a new virus (or variant), during which time you are vulnerable. In any case, although you should update your virus definitions regularly, none of us does it every week, so the "at risk" window is made wider. You should update your definitions at least monthly.
Choice of e-mail format
Many e-mail messages are in Plain Text format, that is, there are no bold or italic characters, no fancy typefaces and no colour. That's quite adequate for most e-mail: it's quick to prepare and fast and efficient to transmit.
Some e-mail software allows you prepare e-mails in HTML format, so that the features mentioned above become possible. HTML is the format of Web pages, so the e-mail you send is like a mini Web page. There are two drawbacks:-
- The e-mail is much larger in size and so takes longer for your recipient to download. Because not all e-mail software can read e-mails in HTML format, they are sent in both Plain Text and HTML formats. If the recipient's e-mail software can't read the HTML version, it will instead display the Plain Text version.
- HTML-formatted e-mails may contain a virus hidden within the e-mail itself. With some e-mail software (e.g. MS Outlook and Outlook Express) the virus is activated the moment you read or preview the e-mail. If you receive a Plain Text e-mail, you can be certain that it does not contain a virus hidden within its body. However, viruses are more commonly transmitted as malicious code within an e-mail attachment and not within their body. The attachment is visible and may arouse your suspicions. The virus will be activated only if you open the attachment.
Some e-mail software has the facility to display incoming e-mails in Plain Text format where both formats exist. Setting this option will prevent viruses hidden in the body of e-mails from being executed.
Spam-filtering software
If you receive a lot of junk e-mail (spam) you can reduce the virus risk by using spam-filtering software. See our advice on spam.
Backups
Remember to include your e-mail folders in the regular backups you take of your work.