1st Email Anti-Virus

Designed for discreet users who appreciate data integrity and privacy, 1st Email Anti-Virus is the only POP3-compatible content-filtering security software that copes with all threats of modern (HTML-based and MIME) email messages. And it does this better than conventional antivirus programs. Note: the program is not compatible with Hotmail, Yahoo and Gmail and similar services, it will only work for POP3 mail accounts.

Most popular email clients don't allow to turn off HTML mode, so most users are vulnerable to virus or deliberate attacks of malicious persons. Also security options / settings of email clients don't allow user to enable true safe mode for email messages.

Quick Facts

* The following programs were tested: Norton Antivirus 2003, McAfee VirusScan Professional 6.02.
** The following programs were tested: Outlook Express 6.0, Outlook Express 5.5, Outlook 2000. Though not tested by us, Outlook XP / 2002 is reported to be vulnerable to similar attacks.
*** This is the most used type of attack, that uses iframe and then either MIME header or CLSID file extension trick. This vulnerability is exploited by many recent worms / viruses, including Klez and Nimda. The file is either executed automatically on message view, or a dialog pop-ups asking if to open or save a file.
**** Outlook 2000 is vulnerable to iframe based CLSID file extension attack, but MIME header attack may either succeed or fail, depending on the content-type value used and browser's settings. Typical browser configuration allows MIME header attack with "audio/x-wav" header.
***** While generic antivirus programs may recognize known viruses in scripts or exe files that are executed by email client, they don't block the possibility of the execution itself, leaving the user with the risk of executing malicious code that is not recognized as a virus.

1st Email Anti-Virus Benefits

• Protects from any known attacks on HTML or MIME emails used by viruses (such as Klez or Nimda) to spread themselves, preventing them from being executed and re-distributed automatically. Those attacks include, but not limited to:
• Iframe attacks. This is the mostly dangerous one, used, for instance, by Klez.
• Script attacks: JavaScript, VBScript, etc.
• Embedded objects and plug-ins: ActiveX, Java, Flash attacks.
• Protects user privacy with the ability to remove inline downloads (also known as "web bugs").
• Keeps the readability of the message and retains all information sent.
• Retrieves and handles oversize messages without blocking, thus protecting from denial-of-service attacks (such as mail bombing).
• Typically decreases the size of the message, thus minimizing the storage requirements.
• Works transparently with any POP3 compatible email program, such as MS Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Netscape, etc. Supports several email clients and accounts simultaneously.
• Has Account Wizard for MS Outlook and Outlook Express. It allows automatic setup if you use these email clients.
• Has an ability to enforce plain text, and thus it is suitable for those who use old plain text email software or those who dislike HTML email.
• Has full logging capabilities: can save original messages and log protocol commands.
• Compatible with signed or encrypted messages (S/MIME).

What email software the program is compatible with

The program is aimed to work transparently with your favorite email client. It acts as a POP3 relay, therefore it is compatible with any POP3 email client and any POP3 email account. It was tested with the following email programs:

• MS Outlook and Outlook Express
• Netscape Messenger / Communicator
• Eudora
• The Bat

To determine if your email program is supported, see if it is compatible with POP3 protocol. Also make sure that your email account is of POP3 type.

If you use web email account and your service provider allows to download messages via POP3 protocol to your desktop email program, like yahoo.com does, then you can use the program in conjunction with your web based email account and the email client software. See the provider's instructions how to set up POP3 capabilities with your web email account.

The program supports multiple accounts simultaneously.

Read program's help file to see what the program does, how it works, view screenshots and more.

See this article that discusses why HTML and MIME email is so vulnerable and why having ordinary anti-virus program is not enough to protect you.