Posted on: Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Plug the holes in your Outlook e-mail security

By Kim Komando

More people depend on Microsoft Outlook than any other program to manage the constant flow of e-mail. This makes Outlook a huge target for hackers. You can do things to protect yourself:

1. Keep it updated. You probably know you need to keep Windows updated with the latest security fixes. But this is only half the equation.

There are separate security patches for Microsoft Office. You won't get these with Windows' updates. You must remember to check for them. Incorporate this into your weekly routine. To update Outlook, click Check for Updates at: office.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdate/default.aspx.

2. Manage the spam. Outlook 2003 has a junk e-mail filter. By default, it is set to low. This catches the most obvious spam and junk e-mail and sends them to a special e-mail folder.

You can make the filter more aggressive. Click Tools, Options. Click the junk e-mail button on the Preferences tab. Check the bubble next to High.

At first, legitimate e-mail may find its way into your junk e-mail folder, so check the folder before deleting its contents. If a legitimate e-mail does get trapped, right-click the e-mail and select junk e-mail, Mark as Not Junk. Make sure the box that reads "Always trust e-mail from address@address.com" is checked and click OK. This will move the e-mail into your inbox. Any future e-mail from that address will not be junked.

3. Share your space. You can use several different e-mail accounts by creating profiles. To create a profile in Windows XP, click Start, Control Panel, User Accounts, Mail. If you use Control Panel in classic view, simply double-click Mail.

Click Show Profiles, Add. Select the profile name and click Next. You can then add a new e-mail account or change an existing one. After you finish with the e-mail account wizard, check the box next to Prompt for a profile to be used. Click Apply, OK.

Every time you open Outlook you will see a drop-down box with profile names. Any changes made within a profile (rules, notes, contacts, appearance) stay within that profile.

If you prefer, password-protect your e-mail folders: click Go, Folder List; right-click the Personal Folders folder, then click Properties For Personal Folders on the shortcut menu.

If you have an http e-mail account, such as Hotmail, right-click the Hotmail folder, and then click Properties For Hotmail on the shortcut menu.

Click Advanced on the General tab. Click Change Password. Leave the Old password field blank. Type your password in the New password and Verify password fields. Click OK three times.

4. Use common sense. The quickest way to infect your computer with a virus is to open unexpected e-mail attachments. Your junk e-mail filter should catch most of this, but sometimes things slip through.

It's very tempting to open an attachment if it comes with e-mail that says, "You'll never believe this picture I saw of you." Resist the temptation.

With reporting by Ted Rybka.