For those people on my news-clip list, I don't have Outlook, Outlook Express or Exchange. My news-clip list is on Pegasus and is separate from my general email system. I am also paranoid about opening attachments. We have just updated again to the latest anti-virus program so I believe that there is little chance of passing on the virus. Trudy ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Australian Financial Review June 11, 1999 E-mail virus deleting PC files A new computer virus that spreads through e-mail is deleting files on computers at large companies such as General and Boeing Co, the latest in a series of e-mail borne viruses. The virus originated in Israel and has wiped out documents on computers there and in the U.S., Germany, France and the Czech Republic, computer security experts said. The virus, which is contained in an e-mail attachment, spreads by using e-mail addresses stored in Microsoft Corp.'s e-mail programs Outlook, Outlook Express and Exchange. An infected computer will automatically send e-mail messages to addresses stored in the software or to addresses on messages in the user's in box. The e-mail comes with an attachment that, if opened, infects the recipient's e-mail software and deletes some files and damages others. Three months ago a similar bug known as Melissa disabled computers around the world. "What it really points to is that these kinds of outbreaks are becoming a fact of life," said Ted Julian, an analyst with market researcher Forrester Research. "They're likely to get more frequent than less." The new virus is more dangerous than Melissa, which also spread through e-mail, because it actually deletes files. The virus randomly erases files written on Microsoft programs including word processing, spreadsheets and software used to create corporate presentations. "That's a pretty nasty thing for people to target," said Roger Thompson, director of malicious code research for computer security company ICSA Inc. "If you don't have back-ups, they are gone." Damage Reports The virus will also spread through computer networks. Users with any type of e-mail software can be infected, though the virus only spreads by e-mailing itself to recipients found in address books stored on infected computers with Microsoft's e- mail programs. The virus "made it look like you knew who it was coming from," GE spokeswoman Pam Wickham said. The company earlier today installed updated anti-virus software and stemmed the damage, she said. The infected message says: "I received your email and I shall send you a reply ASAP. Till then, take a look at the attached zipped docs." A user's computer becomes infected once he or she clicks on the attachment. Computer security experts are still unsure the extent of the damage, as they continue to handle calls from clients. "A number of large companies with names you'd recognize have seen the worm and are tracking it on their systems," said Wes Wasson, a product-marketing director with No. 1 anti-virus software Network Associates. Other security software companies are also recording damage reports. Symantec Corp. said at least 10 U.S. clients have been infected and Trend Micro Inc. said more than five of its clients were affected. The companies declined to name those who have been infected. "We don't know how fast she's spreading yet," Trend Micro spokeswoman Susan Orbuch said. "It hasn't been as crazy as when the Melissa virus came around, but this virus is much more dangerous." The virus, written in a computer language called Delphi, will erase files written in the programming language C++. Delphi programmers are often rivals to those who write in C++, Thompson said. Microsoft officials weren't immediately available to comment. Bloomberg � This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited. ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
