OL2000: To Protect Against Virus Infection from Messages Received with Attachments

This article describes how to reduce the risk of infecting your computer with a virus when you receive a message with attachments.

Outlook cannot scan and disinfect attachments that contain viruses. Outlook can, however, warn you if an e-mail message contains an attachment or code.

Some newer virus-scanning software can check attachments in e-mail messages. If your virus-scanning software does not specifically include protection from e-mail attachments, you can save the attachment to a floppy disk drive first, and then run the anti-virus software on the attachment before you open it.

For a long-term solution to viruses, install anti-virus software that is specifically designed to detect and protect against viruses in e-mail attachments. The following list provides virus protection programs for your information.


The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

NOTE: After you install an anti-virus software program, you must keep it updated to ensure that new viruses are detected and removed. For more information about updating your anti-virus software program, please contact your anti-virus software vendor.

Microsoft distributes an Outlook Security Patch that increases the security protection for certain types of e-mail attachments. After you apply the patch, you must save the attachment to a file before you open it. The patch can help you avoid the accidental release of viruses that hide in certain files.

For additional information about the Outlook Security Patch, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: