The default configuration of Outlook express is the most dangerous configuration! By default all mailboxes in Outlook express have a preview window so that as soon as you highlight a new message it opens for preview, and if there's anything potentially harmful in the message the damage is done. I strongly recommend that if you use Outlook Express you disable the preview function as a first step to protecting yourself. Also you should be extremely careful not to open any messages from unfamiliar addresses, especially long messages that could contain dangerous executable code.
A good defence is an email management program like Mailwasher. This allows you to see what mail is waiting for you on your ISP's server and to preview the text part of a message before you download it. Suspect messages can be deleted from the server so they never arrive on your computer and the sender can be 'blacklisted' so that you will be warned if you get more messages from them. A final nice trick that Mailwasher can do is send a fake 'bounce' message in an attempt to fool the sender of unwanted messages that your email address doesn't exist - a good way to reduce 'spam' email. There are many other programs with similar functions available from freeware distributors - see my links page.
Better still don't use Outlook Express or any program that uses HTML email at all. It's far safer to use a text only email client because text can do you no harm at all. As a bonus your messages will be much more compact without all the hidden HTML code, and therefore faster to upload. There are many text-only email clients like Foxmail, Pegasus, Eudora up to version 3 or the one I use - Calypso. Most of these programs are free and you can still send your pictures or other files as attachments.
If you came across this page by accident, click here to go to my Home Page