Some attachments may contain harmful viruses, which could infect your computer. To avoid getting a virus, only open/download attachments from reliable sources, which you are expecting to be sent to you.
it could be overun with viruses
They carry viruses that can harm your computer
Scanning all email attachments with anti-virus software will help prevent downloading viruses and other malicious code
Some email attachments contain viruses and can damage your computer and your data. You need to maintain good internet security practices and be extremenly caution about opening attachments which you are not expecting, or when you have doubts about the origins, or the sender.
Computer viruses are transmitted from one computer to another in various ways that include being attached or sent in an email. They can be downloaded from the Internet or come from removable media.
worms, viruses, and Trojan horses packets that are destined by malevolent hackers to harm your PC.
Many times email hoaxes have attachments that are viruses. Also, hoax emails will ask for money usually from Nigeria sources.
Word Documents can easily embed macro viruses.
... and here are the ever-important attachments.
All the good anti virus programs have a email scan. What you want to be careful with is opening attachments because you are giving your computer permission to open the virus. The only anti virus I know to have never missed one is ESET NOD23 if you'd like you can read more about it on this site trojanhorseremoval.org
an email virus is simply put, a virus that you get through your email. you can get emails from different ways, such as visiting harmfull sites, or downloading harmful applications. as such, you can get viruses from downloading attachments in emails, or in some cases ive heard, from even just viewing the email. your best bet is to not even view emails that sund like they might be bad.