# Could this email be a virus? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-email-be-a-virus/157527 "2003-02-26T01:37:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jesseboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@jesseboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jesseboy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-email-be-a-virus/157527/1 "2003-02-26T01:37:58Z")
I got an email today from somebody named ‘matthijs bes’, the subject was just a question mark, and the file was only 3k. I have gotten emails before that i am pretty sure contained a virus or a worm, based on descriptions of what those emails would look like(never opened them). For some reason this one has me real spooked-i’ll probably just delete it. what u guys think…can a virus or worm be only 3k? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-email-be-a-virus/157527/2 "2003-02-26T02:49:17Z")
Could be – you’re right to be suspicious. But I’d need more description (like the text of the message and name of the attachment) to identify which virus it is. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-email-be-a-virus/157527/3 "2003-02-26T02:56:12Z")
A virus or worm can be only 3k in size. With suspicious email, it’s best to simply delete it. Don’t worry about who sent it, why, or what it is, just get rid of it and be done with it. There’s a lot of garbage out there, why waste your time with it? ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-email-be-a-virus/157527/4 "2003-02-26T03:29:12Z")
If it’s got an attachment, it’s probably a virus. If not, its probably run of the mill spam. I betcha the actual body of the e-mail is trying to sell you some barely-legal teens. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-email-be-a-virus/157527/5 "2003-02-26T05:20:49Z")
Just got this brand spanking new from e-mail today: > [@](#): > > W32/Lovgate@M is a MEDIUM-ON-WATCH mass-mailing worm, that > spreads via network shares, and drops a remote-access trojan. > The worm is also capable of sending a reply to all new > messages found in the user’s inbox (Outlook and Outlook > Express). The infected email can come from addresses that > you recognize and may contain the following information: > > Subject: [content varies] > > Body: [content varies] > > Attachment: [It will attach itself to the message > using one of the following names:] > > fun.exe, images.exe, news\_doc.exe, s3msong.exe, > pics.exe, billgt.exe, midsong.exe, PsPGame.exe, > hamster.exe, setup.exe, tamagotxi.exe, joke.exe, > docs.exe, searchurl.exe, card.exe or pics.exe ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-email-be-a-virus/157527/6 "2003-02-26T20:36:23Z")
If the attached file ends in one of the following extensions chances are its a virus: .exe, .com, .bat, .scr There are more, but the above are the most common. If you don’t need it, delete it.