I am sure most of us know what computer viruses are, at least as general idea. Some of you may know how the viruses are propagating from one computer or another over internet or from one file to another inside a computer. I am not interested to share you details about this, it's a subject for another article. But you should know at least 2 things: when you are receiving a funny and strange email or massage (on any channel of communication over internet) you should check it twice before reading any mail, downloading any file or accessing any page. The second think to know is there is no bulletproof antivirus software. There are always appearing new viruses, some of them are mutating, learning as they propagate. So always update your antivirus software.
Some people will say for sure that an virus attack is always an attack, no matter the period of the year it happens. The lost of time, energy and data is always the same, no matter it's spring or autumn, summer or winter, day or night.
On the other hand, let me remember you that some of the viruses propagate using emails. In the Christmas, for example, a lot of internet users receive e-cards, invitation to buy cheaper using coupons, annoucements about prices they've won. Without knowing, they can download malware software that can copy personal data or damage the files from their computer. Also, a lot of email accounts are used for e-commerce and shopping online, and it increases the chance their email address will be exposed to scamers and spammers. This makes it more likely that malware will be uploaded on computers. When people are shopping they usually have the tendency to browse sites they have never browser before and they may be more open to leave there their personal data (including the emails, account numbers and others). For Americans the dangers of getting malware by shopping starts the day after Thankgivving, known as Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Since the habit of Black Friday seems to be spreading to other places of the world, that can become a problem for other people also.
Finally, some hoax emails are perpetrated during some events and particular times of years by many people and groups. Some of the most famous ones are these on April fool's day and the one saying that Mars will be so close to Earth that will looks as big as the Moon (it's propagating in August since 2003, when Mars was closest to Earth). Some of these hoaxes can come along with malware or other kind of viruses or they can make people download unsecured software.
