Put simply, if you don't need or want it leave it alone! Simply delete any suspicious e-mail messages from your computer. In this way they can do no harm.
Step 4: Security
There are inherent security vulnerabilities in both Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express and any other mail client that supports HTML and scripting. Make sure that the following e-mail programs are secure by contacting them for information on the latest security threats and safeguarding procedures and implementing these:
* Outlook/Outlook Express
* Eudora
* Netscape Mail
* Pegasus
Step 5: Patching Your Computer to keep it safe
In excess of 100 security patches are released by Microsoft each year. Make sure you understand what they are for, how they work and download them promptly onto your system. If you get confused by the sheer number and intent of all these patches make use of the
Windows update site
which will scan your system and recommended updates that pertain to your unique needs.
In general, you should be installing any updates marked 'Critical' at least monthly. These will help you to secure your e-mails against potential threats.
2) Encrypting Your E-mails
Internet fraud is on the rise -
fake identities
, ulterior motives and e-mail theft is rampant on the World Wide Web. These days you can't even be sure that the listed sender actually sent the e-mail you have just received. It is scary to think that you may fall victim to such actions but there is a way to make sure that your e-mails come from those you know and not fraudulent characters.
You can make use of 1) digital signatures and 2) encryption to secure your e-mail and guess what... they aren't that difficult to do!
For Mail.app (OS 10.3 or higher required), Mozilla and ThunderBird, the options below are free to install.
You can configure a certificate to act as a digital signature for your outgoing and incoming e-mails while encryption scrambles messages so that only the intended recipient can read them. To make this possible both you and the recipient must have access to each others certificates. In the case of Mail.app any digitally signed e-mail's signature is automatically stored on your computer once it is read.
Since all applications differ slightly in this regard, we recommend contacting your software provider to determine how you can digitally sign and encrypt your e-mails.
