Martin Clan
VIRUS Alert--Do not open the I LOVE YOU e-mail recently sent by our address!
If we had only read the news before opening our mail this morning!
We regret any incontinences.
The Martins
WIRE:05/04/2000 09:50:00 ET
Europe hit by new 'Love Bug' computer virus
LONDON (Reuters) - A new computer virus dubbed the "Love Bug" is causing
havoc with many European computer systems, closing down email servers at
companies and Britain's parliament.
London's House of Commons was the latest British organization to succumb to
the virus, which has been likened to the Melissa virus which caused chaos in
the United States last year.
The lower House of Commons shut down its email system for about two hours
Thursday to safeguard against the virus.
Britain's Consumers Association and a major anti-virus firm said they had
also been bombarded by calls from businesses whose email servers had been
hit by a blizzard of messages.
The new virus originates in an email entitled "I love you." Once the
attachment is launched, the virus sends copies of the same email to
everybody listed in the user's address book.
The Melissa virus operated on the same principle, infecting about a million
computers, clogging whole networks in the United States and causing $80
million in damage.
Anti-virus firm Symantec said it had already released an update to its
software to combat the virus, but warned computer users not to open any "I
love you" messages.
British Internet service provider Freeserve said it had set up a filter to
screen out any amorous emails with the words "I love you."
"I've not heard of any problems so far -- fingers crossed," a Freeserve
spokesman told Reuters.
Dutch IT consultancy Ordina Beheer NV was also hit by the virus Thursday.
Ordina confirmed it had received emails containing the virus, but said it
had shut down its network servers to avoid passing it on to customers or
other correspondents.
The virus reportedly originated in the Philippines and has also been
nicknamed the "Killer from Manila," but anti-virus experts do not hold out
much hope that the culprit who created it will be found.
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