Easy, free and fast. E-mails are practical. A simple form of contact that is part of most people's routine. There are periods when we go weeks without having professional conversations in person or by phone, and we don't even notice. Because we've got used to resolving everything by email.
We exchange messages without thinking about risks, after all, the tool is one of our favourite forms of communication. And there are risks, many risks. Cyber criminals continue using e-mail to spread viruses with speed. So much so that e-mail, today, is still the weakest link in the security chain. Phishing hit 90% of organisations worldwide in 2019, according to international reports. And most infections don't even require users to forward the email to others. The viruses scan the contacts in the infected targets' mailbox and look for addresses of new contacts. They then automatically send a new malicious message. The recipient is often unsuspecting of the attachment sent, as it came from a trusted sender.
How to protect yourself?
Always be suspicious of email attachments, even if you know the sender, especially if you did not request the attachment
There are many techniques for spoofing the sending address that make the message appear to come from a familiar source. Check with the sender who supposedly sent the message to verify the veracity of the message before opening any attachment. This includes email messages from the electric, gas, internet or phone company. If the email is about an unsolicited situation, or messages that are different in language and structure from those you usually receive, do not open it.
Keep your operating system and applications up to date
Install software updates so that attackers cannot take advantage of known vulnerabilities. Many operating systems offer automatic updates. If this option is available, you should enable it. There are some basics that can make the difference in detecting a scam.
Consider your instincts
If an email or attachment looks like a scam, it probably is. So don't open it, even if your antivirus software indicates that the message is clean. Attackers constantly release new viruses and protection software doesn't always keep up. Perhaps, it didn't detect it because it doesn't yet have the vaccine for that particular malware. In this case, make contact with the e-mail recipient and check the legitimacy of the message. It is important to remember that, in the case of forwarding, even messages sent by a trusted sender may contain a virus. If something in the email or attachment is strange to you, do not click on it.
Don't let your curiosity put your information at risk.
Save and use an antivirus to scan all attachments before opening them
If you have to open an attachment before checking the source, perform the following steps:
- Make sure the signatures in your antivirus software are up to date;
- Save the file to your device, be it a computer or smartphone;
- Manually scan the file using your antivirus software;
- If the file is clean and does not look suspicious, open it.
Disable the option to automatically download attachments
To simplify the reading process, many email programs offer an automatic attachment download feature. Check your settings and make sure you disable it.
Use a restricted account on your computer
Most operating systems offer the option to create multiple user accounts with different privileges. Consider using your entire system with restricted privileges, leaving special accesses only for maintenance. Some viruses require "administrator" privileges to infect a computer.