This Simple Dialog Box Can Save You a World of Trouble

A simple way to protect your documents from macro viruses, this dialog box allows you to pause before opening a document so that you can think through whether you know and trust the source. When you receive a document attached to an e-mail message, for example, and you double-click to open it, you are first presented with the Macro Virus Protection dialog box.

A macro virus is transmitted when a document that contains an infected macro is opened. Opening the document allows the malicious macro to spread them from document to document. It will spread to other users' documents as well, if you share the infected document. Macro Viruses can also be contained within worm viruses like the recent ILOVEYOU virus. To learn more about how Microsoft is working to stop malicious worm viruses, read about the Outlook 2000 SR-1 E-mail Security Update .

If you have turned on macro virus protection, each time you want to open a document with macros, the Macro Virus Protection dialog box appears and gives you three choices. Each allows you to question whether you know the source of the document - a very important step in protecting yourself from macro viruses.

Disable Macros You should choose this command if you are unsure of the source of the document, but you still want to open it.

Enable Macros You should choose this command if you know who created the document.

Do Not Open Does not open the document. If you are completely unsure of the source of the document, choose this command and then contact the source to determine if the document is safe.

Use Your Built-in Virus Protection

In your Office 97 programs, make sure that you have macro virus protection turned on.

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the General tab, select the Macro virus protection check box.

Now each time you open a document containing macros, you will be alerted. You can then choose whether or not to enable the macros. This will help you protect your Office 97 files from all macro viruses.

You can learn more about virus protection and the Office 97 products at the Microsoft Office Online Anti-Virus Center .

Other Microsoft Anti-Virus Resources

Frequently Asked Questions About Word Macro Viruses

Virus Information for Access 97

For Additional Information

To learn more about virus protection, read Protect Your Microsoft Office Data from Viruses on the Microsoft Office Online site.

For further information about macro viruses or anti-virus software, refer to the ICSA Web site.