Short on time?
Cybercriminals know how easy it is for someone to open a file contained in an email.
Being criminals, they like to take advantage of social engineering tactics by pretending to be legitimate sources.
Theyre pretty good at this, so it can be tricky to know if an email is safe.
Fortunately, there are ways to tell whether emails contain infected files or not.
To protect yourself from viruses buried in emails, youll need a good antivirus.
I recommend Norton as my top antivirus in 2025.
It has a flawless malware scanner and great real-time protection against incoming viruses.
Step 1.
Install Reliable Antivirus Software
The first step is to purchase Norton from its official website.
After you do so, the download process will start.
Once this is done, pop pop the program.
Step 2.
Turn on Real-Time Protection
Nortons Auto-Protect feature scans every file that you attempt to download.
If it catches any malware, it simply removes it.
FromDevice Security,open up theSettingstab and click onAntiSpamto see to it its on.
Both are on by default, but its always worth double-checking.
Either way, once youve got Safe Email set up, you might connect up to 5 email addresses.
Step 3.
To run a scan, open NortonsDevice Securitytab, tick theFull Scancheckbox, and start the scan.
Norton will analyze your machine to find any irregularities resulting from malware including malicious email attachments.
That said, I dont recommend downloading suspicious email attachments for the sole purpose of testing them.
If you accidentally open one, there could be trouble.
you’ve got the option to generally rely on passive protections to keep you safe from email viruses.
Still, I recommend running a full scan to double-check there isnt any malware lurking on your unit.
Its always better to be safe than sorry!
Step 4.
Youll have the option of removing them or keeping them.
After removing the malware, cycle your machine.
Youll also want to uninstall leftover applications if youve been infected by unwanted programs.
Step 5.
Because of this, its essential to enable features like Nortons Auto-Protect to protect yourself from malicious attachments.
By scanning email attachments, you could detect and neutralize malware, protecting yourself and others from potential harm.
Unusually large file sizes or unexpected file types may indicate potential malware.
Finally, to determine if an email attachment is infected with malware, use your antivirus.
The best antiviruses have precautionary security features like anti-spam measures and real-time protection.
Which Email Attachments Are Safe to Open?
These file types are commonly used for media sharing and are less likely to carry malicious code.
Cybercriminals frequently employ these file types to deliver malware payloads and exploit vulnerabilities in software.
That said, no file jot down is completely immune to the risk of containing malware.
Malicious actors can manipulate file extensions or use techniques to disguise malware within seemingly harmless files,including PDFs.
What Can Happen if You Open a Malicious Email Attachment?
Moreover, email viruses can spread across your data pipe, infecting other devices and potentially causing widespread damage.
How to Scan Email Attachments on Mobile Devices
Malicious emails can infect desktop and mobile devices alike.
Luckily, it’s possible for you to protect your phone just as you do your system.
First of all, youll need a solid mobile antivirus.
The best will provide excellent real-time protection, including web protection that monitors email attachments.
verify that these features are turned on.
Open your chosen mobile antivirus and choose to run a scan on the file.
Once the scan is complete, follow the instructions to remove any malicious files that are detected.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of viruses are in emails?
Emails can contain various types of viruses, including adware, ransomware, trojans, and phishing attacks.
Whileantiviruses can detect and beat the malware in an email, you still have to be careful.
Which antivirus has the best protection against email viruses?
I think Norton offers the best protection against email viruses in 2025.
That said,any of my top antivirusesare more than capable of protecting you from viruses.
My other favorite, Bitdefender, also had excellent web protection, blocking as many phishing attempts as Norton.
Can I get email viruses on my phone?
Yes mobile devices are susceptible to email viruses.
Cybercriminals may use malicious email attachments or links to infect your phone with malware.
Regardless of your operating system, malicious emails are bad news.
Thats why its important toregularly check files on your phone too.
What are the common signs of a phishing attack?
Phishing attacks rely on social engineering techniques to manipulate you into downloading email attachments or clicking links.
