Abstract: A system and method in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention advantageously provide trapping of suspected electronic mails in dedicated mail address accounts under predetermined control. Trapped e-mails are profiled in order to determine if they contain malicious code. If it is determined that the profiled e-mails include malicious code embedded therein, the e-mails can then be submitted for subsequent analysis identifying the new virus(es) and developing a cure therefor. The profiling functionality serves to determine if a virus is embedded in the trapped e-mails. Using results of the profiling, the network system can, at the minimum, defend itself against damage from mail-borne viruses currently unknown to the virus database therein. Moreover, further analysis of the results of the profiling serves as the basis for developing antivirus countermeasures against the unknown viruses.

Abstract: A system and method in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention advantageously provide trapping of suspected electronic mails in dedicated mail address accounts under predetermined control. Trapped e-mails are profiled in order to determine if they contain malicious code. If it is determined that the profiled e-mails include malicious code embedded therein, the e-mails can then be submitted for subsequent analysis identifying the new virus(es) and developing a cure therefor. The profiling functionality serves to determine if a virus is embedded in the trapped e-mails. Using results of the profiling, the network system can, at the minimum, defend itself against damage from mail-borne viruses currently unknown to the virus database therein. Moreover, further analysis of the results of the profiling serves as the basis for developing antivirus countermeasures against the unknown viruses.