Open HTML Email Safely

Many people send e-mails that are written using HTML. You might be, and not even know it. To send e-mails with images that display in the open e-mail, you have to use HTML. The same goes for e-mails that include music, dancing bears, and other cutesy non-essentials. I'm as guilty as the next person on that.

Most HTML e-mails are attractive (that's the reason for HTML e-mail). However, HTML e-mail has a sinister side: it can hide malicious scripts which execute when you open the e-mail.

There are several things you can do to protect your computer from naughty HTML e-mail.

• Don't open e-mail from anyone whom you don't know. Of course, this assumes that your acquaintences would neither send nor forward a bad e-mail. The latter is a big assumption; how many of your friends would know that an e-mail is 'infected?'
  


• Do NOT use the "Preview Pane" feature of any e-mail program (including Outlook and Outlook Express). If you use Preview Pane, then when you 'close" an e-mail, the next e-mail in the list automatically opens in the Preview Pane. If the 'next' e-mail contains malware, your computer will be infected or otherwise compromised. Sadly, Microsoft has "Preview Pane" set as the default. If you don't actively turn it off, then it is ON. And people wonder why I criticize MicroSoft so often....
  

Bonus for Outlook Users who want to Open HTML e-mail Safely

• Use PocketKnifePeek, a free Outlook add-in that allows you to preview your HTML email as text... thus nullifying the effects of scripts hidden in messages. Peek requires Windows and MicroSoft Outlook (NOT Outlook Express). It a small program that downloads and installs quickly: 480KB