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Virus programmers disguise their malicious software to make it look harmless.
Therefore do not assume that an e-mail that is marked "Happy Mother's
Day" or "Funny Joke" or "Great Opportunity" or
"Free …" is safe. You need to keep your guard up. If it does not
look familiar, if it sounds suspicious - DO NOT OPEN IT - DELETE IT!
A virus can come from anybody - your coworker, your mom, your best friend, anybody! Therefore do not assume that any e-mail you receive from anybody you know is safe. Virii spread by replicating themselves unbeknownst to a user by sending themselves to e-mail addresses found in the user's address book. This means that virii are most likely to get into your inbox from somebody you know! If somebody you know sends you an attachment that you didn't ask for and didn't expect - DO NOT OPEN IT - DELETE IT!
Do not open any attachment that has the extension .vbs or .shs! Virii don't have to be files ending in .exe to be executed. VBS means Visual Basic Script is another programming language, one of many, that virii are written in. Virii can actually be hidden in many types of files. Often infected files are disguised to look like a text file or a video clip to trick you into thinking they are safe and opening them. Be suspicious of every single attachment you get. If you're not sure - DO NOT OPEN IT - DELETE IT!
Please use common sense
It is crucial to be suspicious and exercise caution. The number one rule is:
Delete any e-mail with attachments that you cannot say with 110% certainty that
they are safe. Nobody is safe from virii, but you can help fighting them by
using common sense. Remember, a deleted legit e-mail takes only a few seconds to
resend. But an opened malicious e-mail can cause hours of downtime, lost
productivity, unrecoverable data, and cost a company tens of thousands of
dollars as a result. Be responsible, use common sense, and think before you
click. The virus threat is real.
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