A defense I have adopted as part of my e-mail attachment protocol and etiquette. And because of its common sense and simplicity, a defense I recommend to all. I am not implying that this defense is in lieu of an antivirus program. Antivirus programs are an absolute necessity. Their value, however, is limited by their inability to detect a Trojan horse and by the frequency a User up-dates his or her antivirus data files.
New viruses appear daily.
When you receive an e-mail attachment and before you open it, ask yourself these four questions. And if you are a subscriber to Winchell's philosophy of e-mail etiquette. What it does. And that it is from you and is not a Forward from someone else. Dear Cyberspace Sue, I am attaching a picture I personally scanned from a picture of Vickie, my fabulous, female, feline, friend.