How to handle email safely

Email remains the most common entry point for computer viruses, Trojans, and other malicious software. As convenient and easy as email may be to use, you should follow a few basic rules to protect yourself.

Attackers need your help

An email infected with a virus or Trojan in your inbox is initially harmless. The attacker depends on your cooperation to complete their criminal act. If you simply delete a malicious email, nothing can happen.

Follow these basic rules to stay safer when handling email:

• If you do not know the sender of a message, do not click a link in an email. Even if the web address you open this way appears legitimate at first glance, malicious code may already have been transferred to your computer in the background.  
• Never open a file attachment in an email from a sender you do not know. 
• It is better to check the sender of a message one time too often than not often enough. Special characters or transposed letters can be suspicious, as can an unusual spelling of a company name you otherwise recognize.
• If you know the sender, scan the attachment with antivirus software before opening it.
• Always check the subject line of a message. It can often indicate suspicious content. Especially if you are asked to update account details or the message mentions charges, it could be phishing. Phishing emails also often contain grammatical errors. 
• Do not reply to suspicious emails. The sender may only be trying to verify that your email address is valid.
• Many antivirus programs can monitor your inbox automatically. Enable this option.
• It is best to disable HTML formatting entirely in your email program. At the very least, avoid loading images in messages from senders you do not know. This can also be dangerous. Images may contain malicious code that can enter your system unnoticed this way. Or the link may be manipulated accordingly. 
• Enable spam filtering in your email program. This filters out many potentially dangerous, unwanted messages before you see them. 

Protect yourself from spam messages

Spam messages are increasingly sent to specific targets—the senders obtain addresses from lists traded on relevant forums. 

You can actively help reduce the number of unwanted emails you receive:

• Be cautious about sharing your email address. Whether in forums or blog comments – don't post your address publicly unless it is absolutely necessary. Spammers use special programs that automatically scan websites and search engines for email addresses.
• To enter a contest or download a free game, you usually need to provide your email address. For this, it is best to use so-called “Disposable email addresses.” These email addresses are only valid for a few hours, which means you receive the expected reply with the download link or registration confirmation through them. After that, the address is deleted. You get what you wanted, but your inbox stays clean. Examples of providers of these “Disposable email addresses” include:
  • Mailinator
  • Spambog
  • Spoofmail