First Class Tips and Tricks

Having First Class as an email system pays off in so many ways. First of all, it has a nice easy interface to it, has a great deal of features and functionality, is available to anyone with an Internet connection, and it provides an inherent security against many of the email viruses that are spread over the Internet.

The latest one to rear its ugly head is the Anna Kournikouva VBS virus. Like many viruses or trojans, it travels from person to person via attachments to email messages. By the way that it works, First Class does insulate you from many problems associated with these things. In order to activate a virus or trojan, you actually have to run it when it comes to a First Class message.

Ah hah! Here's an attachment. I wonder if it contains a virus?

So, how do you run it? It's actually relatively easy. If the file comes as an attachment to a message, all that you have to do is double click on it and the file is downloaded from the server to your computer and executed, if your computer knows what to do with it. At that point, it's too late to change your mind and you're infected.

How to avoid these situations is probably an appropriate discussion at this time.

First, if you receive email from anyone you don't know and it's an executable file or a VBS (Visual Basic Script), resist the urge to play with it and just delete the message. No harm, no foul. Given the current environment with all the nasties out there, that's your best plan of action.

There is a Plan B, for the morbidly curious. It involves downloading the attachment to your hard disk, scanning it with a virus checker, and then executing it. The Ministry of Education has licensed Command Antivirus for Windows and Norton Antivirus for the Macintosh. You will recall that, to download a file without executing it, just right click on the attachment (Windows) or click and hold on the attachment (Macintosh) and then tell your computer where to save the file.

Under a properly configured Windows workstation, just right click on the file and select "Command AntiVirus Scan" from the window that appears. The virus checking program will start and do its thing to the file you just downloaded.

On your Macintosh, all that's necessary is to drag the attachment on top of the Norton Antivirus icon and your file will be scanned. If you don't have access to your computer's desktop, you may have to open Norton Antivirus first and then proceed with scanning.

All of these precautions only work when you have the latest virus definition files handy. That's very important to catch every "Anna" that comes your way. Make sure that you stay on top of developments by reading the Virus Software conference on First Class regularly.

Computer viruses are no laughing matter. Become better accustomed to how your computer works and how your computer activities can put you in danger and take the appropriate action.