Patent ID: 7203964

Claim:
A method for stopping internet viruses from spreading and damaging computer memory systems, said method comprising the steps of: inserting a first routine in a program which receives Email attachments, said first routine including the step of moving only a first 64 bits of data of a first packet of an Email attachment to a reserved place in a header of the Email attachment and placing a binary zero into the first 64 bits of data of the first packet of the Email attachment, and inserting a second routine in the program that opens attachments, said second routine including the step of asking the user if they would like to replace the first 64 bits of data in the Email attachment. If the user concurs, the second routine will switch the first 64 bits of data in the Email attachment with original data in the reserved place as selected, and inserting a third routine including the step of checking to see if the first 64 bits of data in the Email attachment has been replaced before forwarding and if the data has not been replaced, and replacing the first 64 bits of data in the Email attachment with stored data in the reserved place and continuing the Email forwarding routine.