Email threats: Spam, phishing, attachments, etc. What is it? What to watch out for, and what is new.

            There are several main types of emails to watch out for. The first is spam emails. The term “spam” can include all types of emails listed below, but it is important to give you an overview of the term and its definition. Spam email is ANY unwanted email that you receive regardless of its content or purpose. Any email that you receive that is not from a person that you know, or a service that you requested to send you emails, is considered spam. Most are harmless advertising just trying to get you to click on a link to open a website in the hope that you buy their goods and/or services. The other types try to compromise your PC, or steal your identity.

            Probably the most dangerous type of spam to receive is an email posing as a bank or other online service that is requesting you to update or verify your personal information. This is called “phishing”, a term created by the computer security industry. The email looks very official and if you click on the link, the web site mimics the look of the real site. Basically it is tricking you into giving someone your information so they can use it in an attempt to steal your identity. Phishing can be hard to spot at times, but there are a few simple rules to follow to try to protect yourself from it. First, do not click on the link in the email. Second, if you want to check it out, open Internet Explorer, or web browser of your choice, and visit the site like you normally would. Finally, if you are uncertain if the email is really from the company that it says it is, call the company on the phone and ask them if they have sent out these emails. Most respectable online banks and services will not send emails asking you to enter your personal information and passwords.

                Another threat that comes in email is “attachments” on the messages. If you do not know the person that sent the message it is a good idea to not open it. Attachments can contain viruses, spyware, trojans, and a number of other malicious items that can compromise your security, or at very least slow you PC down and cause a lot of crashes. Spammers are starting to use attachments, usually .pdf files, to get their spam to you. Spam filtering software will not look at the words in the attachments and allow the message to pass through into your inbox. Even if you know the person who sent the email that has an attachment on it, it may still not be safe to open. That person may have a virus on their PC. That virus will look at their address list and email itself to each of their contacts. It is a safe practice to call the person and verify that they did indeed send the email with the attachment. Even at this point the file attached may still be infected with a virus, so keeping a good antivirus program installed and up to date is extremely critical.

            The latest threat are the “ecard from a friend” emails. These will provide a link for you to click on. The link typically points to a web site whose sole purpose is to compromise your PC by loading spyware. If it does not say it is from a person you know, the best practice is to delete the email.

Here are the 4 main rules to keep yourself protected from email threats:

1.      Keep a good antivirus program installed and up to date.

2.      Don’t know who it is from – Don’t open it.

3.      Call and verify with the person if you get an attachment from someone you do know.

4.      Be very cautious about any email that asks you to click on a link to go to a page and enter an information about yourself.

If you have other questions or concerns please call us at Idea Solutions:

1-888-535-4332

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