Systems and methods for securing computers

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for avoiding electronic mail (email) attacks on a compute. This is achieved by downloading one or more emails in virtual-copy format prevent the one or more emails from executing; determining whether an infected email is in the downloaded one or more emails; and disposing of the infected email.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for avoiding electronic mail (email) attacks on a computer, comprising: 
 downloading one or more emails in virtual-copy format to prevent the one or more emails from executing;    determining whether an infected email is in the downloaded one or more emails; and    disposing of the infected email.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allowing non-infected emails to be accessed.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising downloading non-infected emails to an email software.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the email software is Microsoft Outlook.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising parsing the downloaded virtual-copy format emails to determine whether the emails are secure.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein potentially infected emails are determined based on one or more of the following: an email from field, an email to field, and an email subject field.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether a security policy exists.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the security policy specifies characteristics of potentially infected emails.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising removing one or more potentially infected emails based on the security policy.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a summary for each email.  
     
     
         11 . A system for avoiding electronic mail (email) attacks on a computer, comprising: 
 means for downloading one or more emails in virtual-copy format prevent the one or more emails from executing;    means for determining whether an infected email is in the downloaded one or more emails; and    means for disposing of the infected email.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising means for allowing non-infected emails to be accessed.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising means for downloading non-infected emails to an email software.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the email software is Microsoft Outlook.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising means for parsing the downloaded virtual-copy format emails to determine whether the emails are secure.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein potentially infected emails are determined based on one or more of the following: an email from field, an email to field, and an email subject field.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising means for determining whether a security policy exists.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the security policy specifies characteristics of potentially infected emails.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising means for removing one or more potentially infected emails based on the security policy.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising means for displaying a summary for each email.