Spreading disease

Viruses are transported via e-mail, so before you open all your new messages remember to check who the e-mail is from, and whether it has any file attached to it.

Although they travel via e-mail, viruses cannot be transported within plain text e-mails - messages that do not have files attached to them.

It is the attached file or document on an e-mail message that will carry the virus.

An attached file, or 'attachment', usually shows up as a paper clip, or a small picture of a piece of paper or file icon, that sits on the side or bottom of an e-mail message.

A file icon inside an e-mail = attachment

An attachment can be a picture, Word document or even a movie clip.

If you don't recognise the e-mail address of the person who sent you the message, then you should be very wary of what the message contains.

If the message doesn't look important then we recommend you delete it without opening it.

A virus in your address book

The people who make the viruses often use different tricks to try and make you open the infected e-mail attachment.

The e-mail will often have a title that entices you to open it - using phrases such as 'Important' and 'Read now', or it will pretend to be a joke image or document.

If you recognise a friend or colleague's e-mail address in the message, but don't know what the attachment is, then give them a telephone call, or send a fresh e-mail message to ask if they've recently sent you anything.

Some viruses spread by sending themselves to all the addresses of your friends and colleagues that are in your e-mail address book.

The virus could have sent you an e-mail message from your friend's e-mail address without them knowing it.

If you open that attachment you could be spreading the virus onto your computer, and to all your friends or workmates.

This is how most viruses get around the internet and cause so much trouble.