what are the risks of receiving and opening email attachments? What actions can be taken to reduce the risks?

Answer 1

I'm sure you've heard that this is how most viruses propogate. The easiest way to keep from being affected is to not ever open an attachment on an email from someone you don't recognize. Also, if something shows up even that is from someone you recognize, with some weird subject line that doesn't seem like something that person would say, contact them before opening it to make sure it's legitimate.

Answer 2

You don't get viruses from looking at an email with an attachment unless you open that attachment. It's usually a .exe extension, or any other executable type file extension. But all you have to do to reduce the risk of getting a virus from an email is to simply not open any attachments.

Answer 3

Do not open up any email that you weren't expecting or if you don't recognize who the sender of the email is. Opening up unknown emails could release a virus into your computer
and opening up an attachment could release many viruses. The safest way to decrease your chances of getting a virus from an email or and email attachment is open it only if you know the person who sent you the email can be trusted.

Answer 4

FOLLOW THESE RULES and stick by them religiously!

(1) Never open email attachments from anyone you do not know.
(2) When you get attachments from people you do know - unless it has your name or personal info that ONLY people you know would know about you - never open the attachment. In other words - if its just generic stuff anyone could write to anyone Don't Open it.
(3) If You get an attachment from someone you know but the info is generic, and could be from anyone to anyone - email the friend and ask them if they sent you an attachment. If they did and confirm it - THEN open the email.

Answer 5

Same risk as opening any unknown file. Some files types cannot contain viruses, and others can. Word documents used to be notorious, but now you can turn macros off so they are not a problem. Other than executable types there isn't much danger. The only thing you can do to reduce risk is to not open them, but I prefer to live dangerously :D

Answer 6

depends on who the attachment is from...if it's a spam/junk mail, I wouldn't open the attachment just because it could be a virus, spyware, etc...in addition, sometimes if you open the attachment or the email, it validates your email address...like the person on the other end can tell that it's a genuine addy and keep sending you more crap.

I would recommend installing an antivirus program (ie...norton) to help cut down virus problems...be cautious as to who you download programs from...

Answer 7

If you don't know who's sending it .... don't open it, use the delete key.

Get a virus scanner that checks incoming email automatically.
Any and all attachments to a message you should treat as a virus.

Common sense is the key.

Answer 8

Viruses are embedded in attachments.
Be sure you have an Antivirus running and it is up to date.
Be careful who you trust on your emails.
The best prevention is to just not open the attachments and delete the email if it is from someone you do not know....

Answer 9

Depends, if its from a friend and its a family picture or recipe or somethin on that order, open it. On the other hand, if you dont know where its from, or a friend has sent you an attachement of a file from the net, jokes, etc. trashem!

Answer 10

By theory, you could scan the heck out of attachments with as many programs as you could, but new viruses are popping up by the hundreds and it's virtually impossible to keep up with it.

1) Stay away from porn and people you don't know--both of those are basically screaming "I HAVE A VIRUS!"

2) Run a virus program