FAQ - Anti Virus

1. What is Mail Guard Anti-Virus? Why should I sign up for this service?
2. How does Mail Guard Anti-Virus service work?
3. Does Mail Guard Anti-Virus scan both incoming and outgoing emails for viruses?
4. Do I need to install / download any software on my PC in order to use Mail Guard Anti-Virus service?
5. Is there a minimum system requirement to subscribe to this service? Do I need to use particular Email software?
6. What are the charges for Mail Guard Anti-Virus Service? How long does it take to activate?
7. Will Mail Guard Anti-Virus slow down my retrieval of emails?
8. What if I change my email address? Will Mail Guard Anti-Virus still work? Do I need to change any settings?
9. Who is eligible for Mail Guard Anti-Virus?
10. Is the Mail Guard Anti-Virus subscription Fee pro-rated?
11. Can I subscribe for this service on my “Hotmail” or “Yahoo” account?
12. How regularly is the virus definition file updated?
13. Will Mail Guard Anti-Virus detect all viruses? If my emails are encrypted, can it be virus-protected?
14. Does Mail Guard Anti-Virus service guarantee my emails 100% virus-free protection?
15. How will I know if an email sent to me is infected with Virus?
16. Why do I receive a virus notification from Pacnet when I have not subscribed to Mail Guard Anti-Virus service?
17. I’m a Pacnet subscriber but not a Mail Guard Anti-Virus user. Does my mails get scanned, if I receive from another Pacnet subscriber who is on Mail Guard Anti-Virus?
18. How does “Mail Guard Anti-Virus” scan for the virus? Does it detect a file name, or the sender/subject?
19. After subscribing to Mail Guard Anti-Virus, I have started receiving a lot of emails that talk about “My emails being protected by Mail Guard Anti-Virus” Why is this so?

1. What is Mail Guard Anti-Virus? Why should I sign up for this service?

Mail Guard Anti-Virus as the name suggests is Pacnet’s new Anti-Virus service that protects your incoming and outgoing mails from viruses. Once you are subscribed to the Service, all your incoming and outgoing emails will be scanned for viruses. Some of the features include:

• 24 hours x 7 days protection against email virus attacks.
• No additional configuration or software to be installed on your PC.
• Infected email attachments will be cleaned before delivery to your PC.
• Attachments that cannot be cleaned will be removed automatically and a notification will be sent to the recipients.
• Automatic update of new virus strains.
2. How does Mail Guard Anti-Virus service work?

The anti- virus (powered by Sophos’s Carrier Scan engine) software is installed on Pacnet’s mail server to scan for known viruses. Once you are subscribed to the Mail Guard Anti-Virus service, all your incoming and outgoing emails will be scanned for viruses. If the email is infected by a virus, the anti-virus software will try to clean the virus. If it cannot be cleaned, the virus attachment will be deleted immediately and the software will send a notification to the recipient.

3. Does Mail Guard Anti-Virus scan both incoming and outgoing emails for viruses?

Yes, Mail Guard Anti-Virus scans all your incoming and outgoing emails, thereby reducing the risk of virus infection of your PC.

4. Do I need to install / download any software on my PC in order to use Mail Guard Anti-Virus service?

No, you don’t need to install any additional software to use Mail Guard Anti-virus.

5. Is there a minimum system requirement to subscribe to this service? Do I need to use particular Email software?

No, this service does not need any minimum system requirement, since it is a server-based service. It supports any Email Client software.

6. What are the charges for Mail Guard Anti-Virus Service? How long does it take to activate?

The charges for Mail Guard Anti-Virus service are as below:



Activation Fee (One Time)	Monthly Fee
$10.45	$1.96

Prices are inclusive of 7% GST.
These charges are based on per email account. Activation of the service is within 1 working day.

7. Will Mail Guard Anti-Virus slow down my retrieval of emails?

No, Mail Guard Anti-Virus does not slow down retrieval of emails.

8. What if I change my email address? Will Mail Guard Anti-Virus still work? Do I need to change any settings?

Mail Guard Anti-Virus will still work on your new mail address, unless you request for the service to be terminated.
You do not need to change any settings, as it is a server-based service.

9. Who is eligible for Mail Guard Anti-Virus?

Both personal (including supplementary accounts) and certain selected corporate email account holders ending with @pacific.net.sg can sign up for this service.

10. Is the Mail Guard Anti-Virus subscription Fee pro-rated?

Yes, the subscription fee will be prorated for the first month.

11. Can I subscribe for this service on my “Hotmail” or “Yahoo” account?

    Mail Guard Anti-Virus service can be activated only for your Pacnet accounts, i.e your emails ending with @pacific.net.sg.

12. How regularly is the virus definition file updated?

Virus definitions file is updated periodically for this Mail Guard Anti-Virus service from Sophos to ensure that Pacnet customers are well protected from latest viruses. However, to provide maximum protection, Sophos will provide latest virus definition updates within 24 hours of any virus outbreak.

13. Will Mail Guard Anti-Virus detect all viruses? If my emails are encrypted, can it be virus-protected?

With the number of different viruses and virus strains arising daily, it is not possible to detect all viruses. However Pacnet’s partner Sophos does ensure that the virus detection will be done in the fastest time possible.
No, encrypted emails cannot be scanned for viruses.

14. Does Mail Guard Anti-Virus service guarantee my emails 100% virus-free protection?

None of the anti-virus email software will provide you with 100% virus free protection, as all viruses come with different strains, which may not be detected with the anti-virus software. However, with Sophos – you are rest assured that if any virus is detected, anti virus updates are available within 24 hours.

Please note the following scenarios:
• If your emails were infected with virus before you subscribed to the service, then they will not be cleaned. All emails that your send/receive after you have subscribed to Mail Guard Anti-Virus will only be scanned for virus.
• If you have subscribed Mail Guard Anti-Virus for email address “yourname@pacific.net.sg “ and you forward your emails from yourname@pacific.net.sg to abc@pacific.net.sg, the email address abc@pacific.net.sg will not be scanned for Viruses. This is because Mail Guard Anti-Virus only scans for viruses based on particular email address.
• If you receive emails from your additional “Singnet”, “Starhub”, “Hotmail” or “Yahoo” accounts, your emails will not be scanned for Viruses.
  
  
15. How will I know if an email sent to me is infected with Virus?

If your email is infected with virus, you will receive an email notification telling you about the attachment that was a virus and was deleted. You will also be given the senders details.

16. Why do I receive a virus notification from Pacnet when I have not subscribed to Mail Guard Anti-Virus service?

There could be two possibilities as to why you receive the notification for Mail Guard Anti-Virus.

1. This is because you may have been in the mailing list with another Pacnet user who is a subscriber of Mail Guard Anti-Virus service.


2. The sender could have subscribed to Mail Guard Anti-Virus service.

Even if one of the recipients is a Mail Guard Anti-Virus user, the entire emails goes through Mail Guard Anti-Virus server to scan for viruses.

17. I’m a Pacnet subscriber but not a Mail Guard Anti-Virus user. Does my mails get scanned, if I receive from another Pacnet subscriber who is on Mail Guard Anti-Virus?

Yes, your emails will be scanned for virus if you are in the “cc” list along with another Pacnet user who has subscribed to Mail Guard Anti-Virus, and you will receive the notification if the email contained virus and is cleaned/deleted.

18. How does “Mail Guard Anti-Virus” scan for the virus? Does it detect a file name, or the sender/subject?

Yes, Mail Guard Anti-Virus detects the file name when checking for viruses.

19. After subscribing to Mail Guard Anti-Virus, I have started receiving a lot of emails that talk about “My emails being protected by Mail Guard Anti-Virus” Why is this so?

Before you subscribed to Mail Guard Anti-Virus, you may have been receiving lot of “infected” mails but you were not aware of them.

However after subscribing to Mail Guard Anti-Virus, you will now receive a default email message informing that Mail Guard has “Cleaned/Deleted” protected any “Infected File”.