Email Context Scan Question

ESS 4.0.474.0 - - I recd a PHISH looking email in ESS-integrated Outlook and before Opening hi-lighted it, Rt Clk'd and told ESET to scan the Outlook folder it was in. The Context Menu Scan setup has Emails checked (if that matters).

I'm not really sure if Opening an Email is the issue, OR only Opening an ATTACHMENT in a strange email. So, How is Rt Clk'ing a specific email and Using ESET "supposed-to-work" as (1) Nothing was logged in On-Demand Scan log file, and (2) Nothing Popped-up indicating any Activity. (note: I don't expect ESS to verify a PHISH scam, but am interested most in "Is this email OK to Open?".) ........ Many Thanks!

 

Hello,

Generally speaking, phishers do no put malicious code (binary attachments, JavaScript and so forth) into their phishes, as they do not want them to be blocked at the gateway by content filtering devices. Their goal is to misdirect the recipient through social engineering to either reply to the message with their credentials or enter it into a web site, not infect them with malware, at least through the email. There are, of course, exceptions to this, but a phisher's first target is typically your information and not your computer.

If you like, you can save the phishing message and send it in a password-protected archive to samples@eset.sk just like you would a missed piece of malware (see this ESET KB article for details) and the malware lab can look at adding detection for it.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky