Is it possible to catch a computer virus just by reading an email message?
Not exactly… You cannot catch a computer virus just by reading an email message. However, you might receive an email message with an attachment, and the attachment could be infected with a computer virus. When you double-click on an attachment to a message, reading email has suddenly turned in to also executing a program. In an effort to make mail easier to use, some manufacturers have started to automatically execute attachments, or to support things like Java embedded in mail. If you open the attachment without checking it first with virus protection software, you could infect your computer with the virus.
