Email Virus Warnings

These messages do not necessarily mean that your computer is infected with a computer virus.

Have antivirus software installed on your computer, keep it updated. Do a complete computer scan for viruses at least once a week, but daily would be even better.

A good rule to follow is to NOT open any attachment that you are not expecting, even if they appear to come from someone you know.

E-mail messages that inform you that your computer is infected by a computer virus can be caused by any one of several viruses that will forge the FROM address. Such viruses will scan the victims entire hard drive to collect e-mail addresses. They then select one of those addresses to use as a forged FROM address while they send copies of themselves to all of the other addresses. The anti-virus vendors have started cautioning their customers that, just because the FROM address says it is from that person, the message might not have actually be sent by them.

You may be receiving virus notifications messages because someone else has your e-mail address stored somewhere on their computer and their computer is infected with an e-mail virus. The virus has used your e-mail address as a forged FROM address. So, the infected message "appearers" to have been sent by you, when in fact it was not. Unfortunately it is very difficult, if not impossible, to identify exactly where the infected message was truly sent from. Because the virus is on someone else's computer, there is very little you can do to fix the problem.

If you are 100% certain that your computer is not infected with a virus, you can safely ignore these notifications - just delete them. However, if the problem persists for more than a day, you should contact the helpdesk.

We also recommend you follow these Safe Computing Guidelines:

• Choose passwords that are hard to guess
• Never share your password with anyone
• Backup your data to disk or tape regularly
• Install a quality Anti-Virus scanner
• Keep your Anti-Virus scanner up to date
• Enable down load scanning
• Enable Macro virus scanning
• Enable Heuristic scanning
• Disable Windows Scripting Host
• Disable ActiveX controls
• Do not hide file extensions
• Do not open file attachments you were not expecting
• Do not open file attachments from people you do not know
• Do not run an EXE, COM, VBS, PIF or BIN file attachment
• Require a prompt before opening mail attachments
• Delete SPAM mail - do not reply to it, do not forward it
• Only download software from reputable vendors

(Windows users can obtain Windows updates from Microsoft.)

• Install a personal firewall
• Turn off or disconnect your computer from the internet when
  not in use.

If you don't have antivirus software installed on your PC you can download a free virus"Stinger" from McAfee which will search for a distroy the 28 most common viruses: Click Here

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