What is email virus? - Definition from Whatis.com

Home
email virus

Definition

email virus

An e-mail virus is computer code sent to you as an e-mail note attachment which, if activated, will cause some unexpected and usually harmful effect, such as destroying certain files on your hard disk and causing the attachment to be remailed to everyone in your address book. Although not the only kind of computer virus, e-mail viruses are the best known and undoubtedly cause the greatest

Learn More

Antivirus, antispyware management

loss of time and money overall. The best two defenses against e-mail viruses for the individual user are:

(1) a policy of never opening (for example, double-clicking on) an e-mail attachment unless you know who sent it and what the attachment contains, and
(2) installing and using anti-virus software to scan any attachment before you open it.

Business firewall servers also attempt, but not always successfully, to filter out e-mail that may carry a virus attachment.

The Melissa virus macro virus and the ILOVEYOU virus are among the most famous e-mail viruses. Each of these also spawned copycat variations with different words in the subject line.

This was last updated in May 2000

Dig Deeper

Show me more

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know.

Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

Research More Tech Terms

Search thousands of tech definitions
Browse tech definitions
Browse Alphabetically:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
- #

Powered by WhatIs.com

File Extensions and File Formats

File Extension and File Formats List:

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
#

Powered by WhatIs.com

More from Related TechTarget Sites

Security Channel
Cloud Security
Security
Security UK
CIO-Midmarket
Compliance

Security Channel
- Survey results: VARs report customers’ IT spending 2012 expectations
  
  VARs expect customers to increase spending on security more than any other IT area in 2012. See which security segments will grow the most.
- Create a computer security blog to attract and retain customers
  
  Blogging can produce new leads for security solution providers. Focus on content in your computer security blog that connects with customers.
- Penetration testing tutorial: Guidance for effective pen tests
  
  This penetration testing tutorial contains essential tips to help solution providers uncover vulnerabilities in clients’ networks.
Cloud Security
- Are cloud providers HIPAA business associates?
  
  Deciding whether your cloud provider is a business associate comes down to a judgment call based on the type of cloud usage.
- SaaS security: Weighing SaaS encryption options
  
  A look at SaaS encryption techniques and challenges.
- Panel debates cloud computing governance issues
  
  Problems with data governance in the cloud aren’t much different than traditional outsourcing.
Security
- February 2012 Patch Tuesday to address 21 vulnerabilities
  
  Microsoft plans to fix coding errors in Internet Explorer, .NET Silverlight and Microsoft Office.
- Webcast: FRCP requirements force new thinking on e-discovery policy
  
  In this presentation, Frank Lagorio discusses e-discovery policy best practices under FRCP requirements, how to get started and pitfalls to avoid.
- Book chapter: Browser security principles, same-origin policy exceptions
  
  This is an excerpt from the book Web Application Security: A Beginner’s Guide that describes the intricacies of using script code within the framework of a same-origin policy.
Security UK
- Survey: Types of DDoS attacks on the rise due to hacktivist groups
  
  New DDoS statistics suggest hactivist groups are to blame for an increase in the number and types of DDoS attacks across the Internet.
- Web application vulnerability statistics show security losing ground
  
  New Web application vulnerability statistics show the number of vulnerabilities is rising, despite the use of Web application development frameworks.
- Microsoft spurs Browsium to rewrite tool for running IE6 on Windows 7
  
  Microsoft has spurred Browsium to rewrite its tool for running IE6 on Windows 7, limiting the security threat posed by continued use of IE6.
searchCIO-Midmarket
- Hadoop offers big data analytics on the cheap -- if you know how
  
  CIOs can harness the power of data mining using the free Apache Hadoop framework, but is there such a thing as free big data analytics?
- Turning a stalled EHR system project into new services and cash flow
  
  When a major EHR system project stalled, the finger pointing ensued. COMHAR’s CIO put a stop to the blame game and began to get business value out of the EHR project.
- Cloud computing basics quiz: Have you got what it takes?
  
  You know the cloud computing basics, but how well can you do against our cloud experts? Take our cloud quiz and find out.
Compliance
- Online Trust Alliance guide offers tips for data protection strategies
  
  With the number and severity of breaches increasing, data protection strategies are vital. To help, the Online Trust Alliance has released a guide to online data protection.
- Vulnerabilities exposed during disposal of used computers
  
  Upgrading equipment? Proper disposal of used computers is necessary to reduce risk, because sensitive data is vulnerable when old electronics go out the door.
- Sustainability: From strategic objective to compliance operation
  
  With the increased interest in going green, sustainability and compliance are now directly related. But making sustainability integral to your compliance operation is not easy.

All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2009 - 2012, TechTarget