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Safety > Email virus protection: Your questions answered
Email virus protection: Your questions answered
- What does this service cost me?
This service is at no extra cost as part of our goal to make being online as safe, enjoyable and exciting as possible.
- Will this scan files on my hard drive?
No. This free service only scans attachments sent via email. For more information on McAfee VirusScan® Online, a premium service which scans for viruses on your whole PC, please visit the
Anti-Virus centre.
- Is virus scan software being installed on my PC?
No. All the scanning is done centrally on our email system so you do not have to download or install anything.
- Can the automatic virus scan be disabled?
No, it is not possible to disable the email scanning service - all
email attachments are scanned to provide all our members with
increased protection from viruses. Our Conditions of Service
strictly forbid the transmission of viruses across our servers
for any reason.
- What is being scanned for?
The virus scan automatically scans email for
the following:
1. Viruses - Pieces of software that cause an unexpected,
usually negative, event. Viruses are often disguised as document
files, games or images with clever titles.
2. Worms - Viruses that reside in the memory of a computer and
duplicate themselves. They may send copies of themselves to other
computers, including by email.
3. Trojans - Programs that pretend to be a benign application,
purposefully doing something the user does not expect. Trojans
are not viruses since they do not replicate, but Trojan horse
programs can be just as destructive.
- Does this guarantee virus-free email?
Email viruses change all the time so it is not possible to guarantee that the virus scanning service will always catch every virus, worm or Trojan horse. However, we believe this service makes your online experience much safer.
- Will this slow my email down?
Your incoming email is scanned before it even reaches your mailbox, so you will not see any delay. When sending email, the scanning happens very quickly, so you should not notice any significant difference in the time it takes to send.
- Who provides the virus-scanning service?
The service is powered by Network Associates' world-class McAfee® anti-virus technology and research.
- Will this service apply to webmail?
Yes - because the scanning is all done centrally, any email attachment sent via us will receive the benefit of virus scanning, no matter how the email is sent - using the software, webmail, etc.
- What about AOL Mobile/Sky Active email?
You cannot send or receive emails with attachments on AOL Mobile or AOL on Sky Active, so these services are not affected.
- Do I have to opt in to this service?
No. This will happen automatically for all email attachments sent over the network.
- How up to date will this service be?
New viruses are discovered every month, so up-to-date virus protection is critical. In keeping with the system's ease of use, the email scanning service will be regularly and automatically updated, in an effort to create a safer and more secure online environment.
- Do you read my attached files?
Absolutely not. Documents are scanned using complex mathematical algorithms that search for patterns and telltale signs left by viruses, rather than 'looking at' the content itself.
