I don't think a virus can get on your computer simply by opening an email. Isn't it the attachment that has to be opened?
Did you read THIS???
Thanks to Microsoft's shoddy coding in Outlook and Outlook Express, you can indeed get nailed without opening the attachment. Seems that Microsoft thought the "preview" feature was more important than security, so it allowed the system to open the attachment without the user doing anything. And just by receiving your e-mail, *bang*! You were nailed.
How d'ya like that?
"Clicking the embedded link in the "Osama bin Laden Captured" message ..."
Clicking the link without actually looking at where it will take you is what runs the virus file.
You can open the e-mail as long as you don't click the link you are fine - clicking without looking first is like walking accross the street without looking.
" I don't think a virus can get on your computer simply by opening an email. Isn't it the attachment that has to be opened?"
This used to be true, but some of the new malware is virulent enough that simply opening the email ("emal?") can cause problems.
Good thumb rule, keep your antivirus sware on and fresh (updated).
Cheers,
Top sends
MicroSoft Outlook, and some similar programs, trigger certain applications apon opening an e-mail. THat program can then get infected by a virus.
But that's what this is warning against. There is a link embeeded in the email. If someone clicks on the link, that link will activate the viral program. A common trick is to give names such as "binladen.jpg.exe". MS often chops off the file extension, so the program looks like it is named "binladen.jpg".
The big deal is that .jpg files are harmless; .exe files are programs. Why Microsoft makes it so easy to disguise a .exe file as a .jpg file is beyond me, but you can set your computer to include file extensions always.
Wrong.
Opening an email with Outlook or Outlook express will often launch attachments, scripts, and other programs, depending on the version used, and the knowledge of the Outlook operator, and the defaults chosen for the instalation.
Use of Outlook/OLexpress is the single biggest risk factor for being infected with a virus or a trojan.
People using virtually any other third party mail package (not microsoft) are dramatically safer for this reason alone.
Where have you been for the last 8 years?
In order for you to get the virus you must open the exe file that is attached to the email. It is a cardinal rule that you do not open exe files sent via email. I'm amazed at how many people I meet all the time that use computers often and still don't know that.