More of this Feature • Part 1: Introduction • Part 3: More, Even Better Strategies

Join the Discussion • Recent Discussions

Related Resources • The Hoax is a Worm, and a Virus • Protect Your System Against Worms

From Other Guides • Before You Buy Antivirus Software

Free Newsletter Your email address:

Now that we know what worms do to spread themselves via email, the measures we can take to avoid serving as a welcome sender to the worm are apparent.

Not Using Specific Software

If the worm uses specific software to travel it is unlikely we help spreading the virus if we do not use the software it exploits.

As Microsoft Outlook is often used by authors of worms, not using this program is probably useful. In corporate environments, this is often no option, however. And if nobody uses Outlook, worms will certainly find another, popular email client to exploit. Roughly the same applies to not using Windows as an operating system.

So not using specific software does not look like the best way to avoid worms, but it may still be very useful for some.

Not Opening Attachments

If worms are generally attachments, they have no chance of doing anything malicious or replicating themselves if they are not executed. The code that may be hidden in attachments gets executed when the attachment is opened. No attachments opened, no worms replicated. It's as easy as that.

To not open any attachments of course is no option, so our strategy becomes to not open certain attachments.

In former times, when viruses were sent manually, it was good advice not to open anything coming from a stranger. Yet, as today's worms pick their recipients from somebody's address book the senders are likely to be (very well) known.

So it's generally a good idea not to open attachments that you did not ask for. If you get something you have never requested (which might happen more often than not), ask! If the sender has not consciously sent you the attachment, it's almost certainly some kind of worm.

But even if the sender has sent you the pretty, funny, hilarious, shocking attachment, you're in danger. But you're "merely" in danger of getting your computer infected with a virus, not in danger of falling victim to a worm. Lucky you!

Being careful with all kinds of attachments, especially those you never asked for, is, in general, a good strategy to avoid spreading worms.

Next page > More, Even Better Strategies > Page 1, 2, 3