B. Mann Consulting

"E-mail was never designed to be a file transfer mechanism, and it is time to stop using it that way," Schmehl said.

However, some administrators still see users as the key to stopping the cycle of virus infections.

"If we could get a significant number of home users to install anti-virus software and keep the definitions current, I feel that major virus outbreaks would be a thing of the past," said Pat Flannigan, systems administrator at CFS Mortgage Corp., based in Phoenix. "Users are the hardest part. They need to constantly watch for viruses in e-mails and Web sites at the forefront in their thinking."

EWeek: Viruses "Winning the War"

I agree with the first part (email is not a file transfer mechanism), and totally disagree with the second part: there is no way you are going to be able to get users to be "on their guard" all the time. I would argue that you wouldn't have to if the underlying application(s) and operating system(s) were more secure/less broken.

Fixing email so that it is no longer used for file transfer is actually something that could be seen as a feature (e.g. my EGADS idea). Hmmm...maybe something to talk to the guys at Geekmail about.

One of the biggest spreaders of viruses is by social engineering -- wording the email in such a manner that the user wants to open it.

If you're a Windows user, get a free version of AVG -- I've seen it catch many viruses that got past others (*cough*…McAfee…*cough*), and it takes up very few system resources (unlike Norton). At Phenomenal, we recommended it to corporate clients as well: the licensing costs are very attractive, and it has good functionality.

If you're a Mac user…move along, move along, nothing to see here. I saw a quote somewhere recently, something along the lines of "There have been more Sasquatch sightings than there have been confirmed Mac viruses in the wild".

(via Mindjack Daily Relay)