Thunderbird will not allow a virus or worm to execute automatically. You can see what attachments have been sent to you without a virus being able to execute, and you would have to save a file to your system and deliberately run it before it could cause any harm. JavaScript is switched off by default for mail and news, so an e-mail cannot run script code just by being opened. with any mail program, take proper caution before running any file that you receive in e-mail.

Yes. Unfortunately viruses are a day to day struggle for anyone who uses a computer. The best way to avoid them is to practice Responsible Computing. Even with an up to date anti-virus program, and careful computing, viruses can still find their way into your system. Thus, it is important to always have a good backup of your important files.

You can't get a virus just by reading a plain-text E-mail message or Usenet post. What you have to watch out for are encoded messages containing embedded executable code (i.e., JavaScript in an HTML message) or messages that include an executable file attachment (i.e., an encoded program file or a Word document containing macros). In order to activate a virus or Trojan horse program, your computer has to execute some type of code.

On the right, under Use Secure Settings, click the radio button that says, "TLS, if available"

Any program which downloads mail to your computer may be used. You may also use mail user-agents, which run on our servers, such as pine or elm.

Sure. If you have a question that isn't here or in the long version of the FAQ, or if you just want to send along a comment, feel free. If I know the answer and/or have the time and energy, I'll write back.

Yes, the Windows version of Thunderbird includes mail notification in the system tray while Thunderbird is open.

The best way to avoid e-mail viruses is not to open e-mails from addresses which are not known to you. Some viruses are able to simulate an e-mail address from someone you would normally receive messages from. If you receive a message from someone that you do know, and there is a strange attachment to the mail, check with the person first before opening the attachment. You cannot get a virus simply by opening a message.

In a few milliseconds per e-mail XSpam scans your e-mail as it comes through our servers with the latest in mail virus protection offered. Our servers are updated at least once a day for virus definition updates to keep e-mail clean as it’s delivered to your mailbox.

Treat any file attachments that might contain executable code as carefully as you would any other new files: save the attachment to disk and then check it with an up-to-date virus scanner before opening the file. If your E-mail or news software has the ability to automatically execute JavaScript, Word macros, or other executable code contained in or attached to a message, I strongly recommend that you disable this feature.

Filtered e-mail is quarantined in a special folder. You can view the filtered e-mail, deleting any unwanted messages or forwarding wanted messages to your inbox.

Mozilla is a complete suite of web related applications, such as a browser, a mail/news client, a chat client and much more. Thunderbird is just a mail client, which makes it a better choice if you already have a browser like Mozilla Firebird for example. Note, though, that Thunderbird is not just the standalone Mozilla mail client. The user interface in Thunderbird differs from Mozilla in a few ways, such as the customizable toolbars.

The first time you run Thunderbird, it should ask you if you want to make it your default mail client. If you answered "No" and later decide you would like it to act as your default mail client: Windows, Mac: go to Edit | Preferences | General and check "Use Thunderbird Mail as the default mail application". If you still have problems with mailto: links under Windows, go to Start | Settings | Control Panel and open Internet Options.

Thunderbird is now using separate profiles to not interfere with Mozilla. In order to migrate your mail and settings from Mozilla to Thunderbird, follow these steps: Start up the new version of Thunderbird and let it create a default Thunderbird profile for you. When the Account Manager comes up click cancel and exit the application. Find the Mozilla profile you are interested in migrating (...\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\\XXXXXXXX.slt).

Yes. If OfficeScan's Real-time Scan Monitor is enabled and configured to scan the e-mail attachment’s file type, OfficeScan should be able to intercept the virus before it is executed from within an Outlook e-mail message.

It is NOT possible to pick up a computer virus infection by receiving and reading e-mail. However, file attachments are a different matter. To avoid such problems, all attachments will be stripped from messages by Yahoo Groups. a general rule, never open a file attachment when you are not certain that (a) the source is reliable and (b) the attachment is above suspicion. Many infections occur in which neither the sender nor the receiver is aware of any problem at the time.

Yes. Numerous experiments have shown that computer viruses spread very quickly and effectively on mainframe systems. To our knowledge, however, no non-research computer virus has been seen on mainframe systems. (Despite often being described as such, the widely reported Internet Worm of November 1988 was not a computer virus by most definitions, although it had some virus-like characteristics.

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