Your e-mail can fail the test for a variety of reasons. What follows are the most common reasons:

• I have Script Sentry and ZoneAlarm installed, but Script Sentry didn't catch the script.
  

  ZoneAlarm has a feature called "MailSafe" which traps certain types of files recieved as e-mail attachments. ZoneAlarm will then prompt you with a warning that the file might be dangerous to open. However, ZoneAlarm does this by renaming the file's extension. In the case of VBScript files (with .vbs extensions, such as the one sent in the E-mail defense test), the file is renamed so it has a .zlv extension. While selecting the "Do not run" button keeps the file from opening, clicking "Run" won't trigger Script Sentry because the changed extension isn't recognized by Script Sentry.

  

  What you can do: There are two options where this is concerned. Your first option is to rely on ZoneAlarm's MailSafe. The second option is to disable MailSafe. You can do this by double-clicking on the ZoneAlarm system tray icon (the "ZA" icon at the bottom right of your screen). Next, click on the "Security" button and uncheck "Enable MailSafe protection to quarantine e-mail script attachments." My recommendation would be to keep MailSafe active, however. I plan on working zlv support into the next version of Script Sentry and it never hurts to have an extra layer of protection.

• My anti-virus program didn't recognize the script as dangerous.
  

  Anti-virus programs are essential, however they have one weakness. They rely on "viral definitions" to identify virii. (Kind of like how a fingerprint can identify a person.) If the virus is too new though, the anti-virus program won't have it listed in the definitions. VBScript-based virii can spread fast and you might get infected before the anti-virus definitions are updated.

  What you can do: First off, don't ditch your anti-virus scanner. It may not guarantee 100% protection against unknown virii, but it offers your best chance of protection (or recovery) should you encounter any of the thousands of known computer virii that might find their way to your computer. To bolster the protection of your anti-virus scanner, make sure you update the definitions often. (Norton usually releases viral definition updates weekly.) I'd also recommend installing Script Sentry to provide an additional safety net against unknown VBScript files being accidentally run. Finally, I'd recommend installing a Firewall if you don't already have one. (I personally recommend ZoneAlarm.) A Firewall can protect not only against someone breaking into your system, but also against someone coopting your Internet connection for their own purposes.

• I don't have a Firewall, anti-virus program, or Script Sentry. I tried opening the attachment and it said it read my registry.
  

  If you don't have a firewall, anti-virus program, and Script Sentry on your system, you're leaving your computer wide open for attack. And don't think you don't have anything a hacker would want to take. Your system and its Internet connection alone can be misappropriated for their purposes.

  What you can do: Install a firewall (I personally recommend ZoneAlarm), an anti-virus scanner, and Script Sentry.

• I have Script Sentry installed, but it did not stop the attachment from running.
  

  First of all, check to make sure that Script Sentry is configured to check VBS files. To do this, open Script Sentry and select File->Configure. Select the File Associations tab, make sure VBS is checked off, and click the OK button. If this doesn't fix the problem, it could be that Script Sentry doesn't work well with your e-mail client. Unfortunately, I can't test Script Sentry on all e-mail clients and some might execute attachments in non-standard ways. If this is the case, post a message in the Toolbox Forum. Make sure to include your Operating System, e-mail client, and version of Script Sentry you have installed.