Hackers can have different ways to try to sneak malware and compromise the security of users. Undoubtedly, e-mail is one of the methods they use the most. It is very easy to reach the victim, since they simply have to send an email and attach malicious files or insert links that lead to dangerous sites. It is true that there are filters and email providers can detect them, but this does not always happen and dangerous emails can arrive in the inbox. What should you do if you think an e-mail you have received has a virus? What to do if it’s already too late and you’ve opened it or downloaded a file? We talk about it in this article.
What happens if an email has a virus
Surely on some occasion you have come across an e-mail that you have received and you think it may have a virus . If this is so, if it really contains malware, you may have major security issues. You could see that your personal data is compromised and the system starts to malfunction.
The first thing is that you should know that email viruses can arrive in different ways . One of the most obvious is that the attacker simply attaches a dangerous file. For example, it can be a photograph, a Word document, a ZIP folder, etc. Once you download that file, the malware would run and the problem would start. But it can also happen that this virus arrives by e-mail through a link and that you open it and the download automatically starts.
If you download a virus by email, it could be malicious software designed to steal your personal data. It could collect information from your system and send it to a server controlled by the attacker. It is a fairly common method for the theft of personal information.
They could also be used to steal passwords . One type of malware can be a keylogger, which will record all keystrokes. This is going to cause all your access keys to be exposed. A problem that will undoubtedly affect your privacy on the network.
Therefore, as you can see in case an email that reaches you has a virus, you can see that your security and privacy are seriously compromised. It will depend on what kind of malware it is and what is the goal of the hackers who have sent it. We could also be facing ransomware, spyware, etc.
Tips in case of suspicion
Now, what should you do if you have suspicions? We are going to give a series of guidelines that you should take into account if you think that the e-mail you have received may have a virus. The objective is to prevent it from affecting your security and putting your personal data at risk.
never download files
One basic thing you should not do is download any attached file in that e-mail that you suspect may have a virus. That could trigger the real attack and right there start putting your personal data at real risk. Therefore, avoid downloading any attached document in case you have the slightest doubt.
This also applies to any links you may have. You should not open them, much less log in through links that it contains and that may be a scam. Perhaps you are facing a Phishing attack, which is basically a web page that pretends to be real but as soon as you log in the data goes to the control of the attackers.
Do not interact with that email
Another point to keep in mind is that you should not interact with that e-mail you have received. The attacker’s goal may be to collect your personal data, find out that there really is an active user behind that address, and then put you on a spam list or send you a personalized attack.
Therefore, if you receive a suspicious email, which may contain viruses or dangerous links, you should never interact. You must not send any response email, or fill out any hypothetical form where personal data is requested for any reason that may be indicated in that message.
Analyze email links
Once you have followed these first two steps and you have not downloaded any file or interacted with the email, the next thing you should do is analyze the links in that email. In this way you will know if these addresses really may contain malware or may be safe.
There are different tools that you can use online. One of the most popular is VirusTotal . You can also try others like Sucuri or URLVoid . What you are going to do on these pages is paste the URL of the link you have received and they will tell you if it is a possible virus or threat. In case you detect something strange, the most important thing is that you delete that email as soon as possible and of course that you do not open that malicious link.
Find information
If you still have doubts and do not know if it really could be a scam and that email has a virus or not, the next thing to do is search for information on the Internet . You can put the address in Google and see if other users have commented on something in relation to that address and that may or may not confirm your suspicions.
You can also search for information in relation to what appears in that e-mail. In addition, if, for example, it is a supposed legitimate company or online service that you use, you can always contact them so that they can inform you if they have really been the ones who have sent that email or if it is an impersonation.
What to do if you have opened an email with malware
Perhaps you have been late and have made a mistake with an email that you know has a virus or suspect that it may have it. You may even have downloaded a malicious file and it has already infected your computer. What should you do in these cases? We are going to explain the steps you should take to minimize the damage as much as possible.
Delete any downloaded files
The first thing is to delete any files you have downloaded from that email. For example, if you have downloaded a text document, an image, a ZIP file… Anything that you think may really be malicious software or from which your computer has started to malfunction.
This will not always solve the problem, of course, but at least you will have an option that it does not affect your security. You may have to open that file to run the payload and if you remove it it will not affect your system at any time.
Analyze the system
The next thing you should do is scan your computer for viruses and any threats that may exist. For this you must use a good antivirus . For example, you can use Windows Defender itself, which comes with Microsoft systems, but you will also find other options available, both free and paid.
By doing a complete scan of the computer you will be able to see if you have any threats. Maybe some malware has entered through that mail that could have viruses or maybe you even had some malicious file previously. Whatever your case, this way you can check that everything is in order and delete any type of malicious software.
Check that you have updated equipment
Do you have the equipment updated correctly ? This is important and it is something that you should check, especially when you suspect that you may have been the victim of a cyber attack or you may have downloaded a file that could be a danger to security and privacy. There are many vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers and are fixed through updates and patches.
In the case of Windows, you have to go to Start, enter Settings and go to Windows Update. There you will see possible new versions that you will be able to update. You must make sure that there are no pending files and that you have all the new features installed. In this way you can achieve higher performance, but also avoid security problems.
Disconnect other devices
Another step you must take is to disconnect any device that you may have connected to the computer where you have opened that suspicious email. For example, if you have a pen drive or an external hard drive connected, you should disconnect them. The same if you have any other device linked.
This will allow you to cut the chain and prevent possible malware from affecting other devices. It is important to minimize the risk and limit as much as possible the impact it may have on your personal data and the files you may have stored on other computer equipment.
In short, as you have seen, the fact of receiving an email with malware can be a significant danger. You can put your privacy and security at risk if you download a file or open a link that has been sent to you. It is important that you take action as soon as possible and prevent the problem from escalating.
