Would opening email exposed us to virus?

It is very possible. There is a exploit that will use a vulnerability in Windows to infect your computer just by viewing an infected .wmf file in an e mail.

However, Microsoft has issued an update (patch) for this vulnerability so as long as your Windows is 100% updated with all critical updates from Windows Update you will be fine.

Stand strong on the situation. I went through the same thing with my mom. She has a history of alcohol and drug abuse and is a heavy smoker. For a while i took my daughter to her house about every two weeks. Mom would run an air purifier while we were there and go outside to smoke. My thoughts were its easier and I was exposed to second hand smoke all my life, Im healthy and I'm tired of fighting. By the time my little girl was five months she had two ear infections and had to be hospitalized due to severe case of pneumonia. My husband and I were baffled, we decided to keep her out of day care to keep her as healthy as possible. After a long talk with her doctor we discovered that the only thing we were doing wrong was the second hand smoke exposure. Its been four months and Kaitlin has stayed healthy. The only thing is I wish I had stood up and fought earlier. Due to the pneumonia damage my little one is on a nebulizer twice a day and I have to carry a rescue inhaler with me when Im not home. The doctors are unsure if this is going to be a life long thing or what. Secondly, are you really sure that you want someone you don't always trust keeping your daughter. Your mom obviously has other priorities in her life. Right now your little one is too young to feel the slight of a last minute cancellation, but as she gets older its heartbreaking. If she is doing it now it will continue. One of the hardest things I have had to do as a parent is stand up to my own mother. Ive since figured out that alcoholics and often master manipulators, making you feel like you are in the wrong. Grandparents is not a right its a privlage. Keep that in mind as you make a stand for your precious little one. Contact me if you would like for support.

It usually only involves opening an attachment although a programmer in theory could create a program that could infect a machine upon opening of an e-mail note. Our company configures our e-mail not to have the preview pane on so if we receive an e-mail from someone we do not know we can just delete it without even looking at it.

I went to a security conference where the engineer sent an email to a computer with outlook open and the preview screen running. He was able to get into the computer and take control of it. That was scary considering how many of my users keep their email up all day.

Well, yes, but it's unlikely.

First off, you won't get a virus by reading a plain text email.

If it's html (looks like a web page), you might get a virus if you're NOT running the latest (patched) version of Outlook Express or Outlook.

Just opening the email is "safe" but do not open any links in the email if you are not 100% shore that the links and sender are safe.

not just by opening mail..its the attached file that can give a virus.

http://www.zyra.org.uk/rogues.htm

http://www.dti.gov.uk/sectors/infosec/infosecadvic...

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2183900/virus-wr...

not offen.