Frequently Asked Questions
• I got this email from somebody, and it looks funny. Is it a virus? What should I do?
Does the email not fit things that person would normally say? Is there an attachment? It's an email virus. Delete it!
• Somebody just said I sent them a virus. Do I have a virus on my computer? (Somebody said I sent them email, but I didn't send anything!)
No, you probably do not have a virus! You probably did not send the person any email, in fact. At present, all the common email viruses create a false "from" line in the email they send. If the email said it came from you, then you are the one person who probably did not send it. An unknown third person has a virus that claimed to be you! Ask the person who complained for the FULL headers of the email they received if you want to find out what computer sent the virus to them. (The full headers should contain the IP address of the computer that delivered the email.
For example, a person called Vira has a computer with a virus. Vira also has your email address and Steve's email address. Vira's computer sent an email virus to Steve that said it came from you. So, Steve believes that you sent an email-virus to him. But, it has nothing to do with you or your computer.
Worse, some mail servers automatically respond to viruses they block. But since the viruses use false headers, the mail servers actually respond to the wrong address - you, again.
• I got email saying my account has been used to send spam. What should I do?
Is it an email from some "support team" or "administrator" with an attachment? It's an email virus. Delete it! Don't send it to us. If you have a question send us a separate email and we will contact you for more information.
• I just tried to send an email to a psu.edu account and it came back. Do I have a virus?
No! PSU is blocking emails based on a number of factors (none of which is whether there is a virus in the email). The one that seems to block most email is the "subject" line. Many common subject lines are used by viruses, so PSU blocks those subjects (even if you aren't sending a virus). "Hi" is an example. If I send an email to a psu.edu address with a subject of "Hi", it comes back to me. The returned email even says to try a different subject line.
• My friend sent me an email that said if I have this file on my computer, it's a virus. What should I do?
Your friend is WRONG! Ignore your friend. Delete your friend's message. Better yet, look up your friend's message on the internet. You'll find lots of links to sites that explain that it's a hoax. Then, send your friend a reply explaining why it's wrong to spread hoaxes like this. If you deleted the file, you have now damaged part of your computer operating system. If the message really seems like it might be true, ask you Anti-Virus Company.
• I have anti-virus software on my computer. Shouldn't it stop these viruses?
Many viruses, especially the email viruses, spread around the world in hours. There isn't even enough time for the anti-virus companies to find out about them. They certainly can't release updates to the anti-virus software fast enough to catch every virus. Anti-virus software is a great thing, but it's always a day or two behind the latest viruses. So, although you really need it, you cannot depend on it.
• Where can I find out about these viruses?
There are many good websites to find out about computer viruses. Symantec, as one example, has a large, online dictionary of viruses, including information on what they do, messages they send, how to remove them, and their effects on the internet.
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