In the last few days I've receiving a few copies of a virus everyday. It seems there must be a widespread infection and that's why I'm getting so many copies.

Fortunately, I check all my e-mails before actually downloading them with my e-mail program. It's fairly easy to spot most of the current internet worms. They usually have an attached file of about 150K-250Kb (sometimes bigger), and they use the so-called social engineering. This means e-mail worms writers try to persueade you to open/see the attached file. Sometimes they fool you saying "have a look at this sexy pics of <your favourite star here>", some others saying, "here is the file your requested. tell me your opinion"... and the last one I've seen pretends to be a "removal tool" for a virus when it's actually a virus itself (nice try).

If you receive an e-mail, even from a known source (a friend, a MM board member...) with an attached file you didn't request and with a catchy sentence inviting you to see it, DELETE IT.

In any case, I always recommend the use of a good antivirus software. You have to be sure it's constantly updated (otherwise is not very efective).

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Then we have hoaxes. They are just rumours about a new destructive virus infected computer around the world and telling you to forward that message to everyone. I don't know what's the point of this message apart from overloading mail servers with your warning e-mails to your friends.

It's also easy to spot a hoax. They usually talk about "the most destructive virus ever created". "It's been reported by Microsoft, the CNN, the Pope ..." (or any other non computing security companies). "Not only it will destroy your computer but the whole world". "Don't rely on your antivirus because none of them is able to detect it". These are some of the sentences they use to scare you (although a bit exagerated) so that you inmediately send warning e-mails to all your friends.

If you recive such a notice and you still think it can be true, then have a look at security related websites such as antivirus software companies or alike. Also, check out websites about hoaxes and see if they say something about it.

Good comments/information, Antonio. For me, I guard against viruses in two ways:
1) Norton AntiVirus protection (about $30-$40/year)
2) I set my email program (Eudora - free) to NOT accept emails or attachments larger than 100kb. As Antonio says, most of the time these attachements (or emails themselves) are between 150kb-even-as-big-as-600kb. And if you have a dial up connection AND you get 1 or more of these a day it can really slow down your productivity. SO, I set my email program to NOT accept emails/attachments larger than 100kb. This way, I guard against viruses AND people sending me 5mb of their vacation photos to Spain without getting my permission first. (it's happened several times! )