e-mail hygiene

(e-mail HY.jeen)

n.

Principles or practices that reduce spam and protect a computer from viruses and other threats embedded in or attached to e-mail messages. — adj.

Example Citations:

E-mail hygiene, storage and policy management, which have been largely ignored, have recently become business imperatives, according to industry research firm Meta Group.

The major thrusts of e-mail hygiene are spam management and security from viruses and other e-mail threats, including hacker attacks.

— "Practicing good e-mail hygiene," Computing Canada, September 5, 2003

Higgins said the viruses probably will be more of a nuisance than a problem. But he recommends visiting anti-virus Web sites and trashing e-mail attachments from strangers.

"It has nothing to do with the year 2000," he said. "Good e-mail hygiene says you don't open attachments from somebody you don't know."

— Christie Appelhanz, "Y2K not only concern in new year," Topeka Capital-Journal, December 25, 1999

Earliest Citation:

With virus activity reported up over the last three months, there's no guarantee that any measure you take will completely protect you. But if you practice good e-mail hygiene, odds are that you'll stay safe.

— Kevin Jonah, "Catch viruses," Government Computer News, June 1, 1999

Related Words:

bacn

data hygiene

email apnea

e-mail bankruptcy

e-mail fatigue

ham

hygiene hypothesis

mailstrom

meatloaf

occupational spam

sleep hygiene

spam

spim

Categories:

E-mail

Hacking and Hackers

Privacy and Security

Spam