Unfortunately, there are those who would take advantage of people during the Holiday season to send fake email greeting cards. For more information visit McAfee.com.

There is a hoax going around through email suggesting you delete a file called jdbgmgr.exe. DO NOT DELETE IT!

DO NOT pay any attention to this email or any telling you to delete a file, delete the email.

Last year there was another hoax asking you to delete a file called sulfnbk.exe. These are not critical, but they are system files. Deleting them will cause minor problems with your computer. For detail information on these hoaxes, click on their names. For a complete list of known hoaxes, visit Symantec's Hoax Page.

The safest way to protect yourself from viruses is to follow these steps:

1. Install an anti-virus program and keep the virus definitions up to date at least weekly. I recommend Norton Antivirus 2003. Norton Antivirus 2001 and higher can be set to automatically download the latest virus definitions every time you connect to the internet. Another is McAfee Antivirus.

2. Run Windows Update at least monthly and download and install ALL "CRITICAL" updates. Windows ME and XP can be set to automatically download critical updates and let you know when they are ready to be installed. Windows 95 and 98 require Internet Explorer version 5.5 or later to run Windows Update and can download an update entitled "Windows Critical Update Notification 3.0" that checks for critical updates.

3. DO NOT open any emails with attachments that you are not expecting. Some viruses and other small programs can take over Outlook Express of those that do not follow step 2 above, and make it look like one of your friends sent you something when they didn't. Attachments are ok, but only if you are expecting them.

4. Delete, or at least suspect, any emails that have you delete anything. No matter who they are from. As stated in the pages linked to above, some of those emails can make themselves look like they are from Symantec, the makers of Norton Antivirus.

If you are unsure about an email, feel free to check with me. You can also search Symantec's site entering key words that are in the suspected email in the search box. For example, I found the page above simply by entering "jdbgmgr.exe" in the search box.

You may also scan your PC for threats now, by using the free online Symantec Security Check or download and run Stinger.