is it possible?

is it possible getting a virus just by opening a email ? like not opening a attachment or link in the email but just opening the email

 

anyone?

 

Yes, and it has happened in the past. But that means the malware has to exploit a vulnerability in the program one uses to read the e-mail: the malware would attack only a particular program (say, Outlook...), and it would not work with other programs...


EDIT: in particular cases (just look at the WMF vulnerability) there is a chance that the exploit would work with some way if the mail is just opened, or even not opened at all but its contents saved on the computer (the Google desktop search, for instance, triggered the WMF exploit all by itself if a WMF exploit file was on the computer).

 

i opened it from yahoo is it then possible?

 

Yes, it's possible, but... what are the symptoms? Are all the Windows patches in place?

 

Yup all window updates patched

 

no symptoms just that this wierd email popped up in my inbox and i did open it :\

 

k thanks