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New Bug Loose in Computers, Experts Say May 19, 2000 - A new virus is eating its way through computers, and this one is smarter and more destructive than the worldwide "Love Bug" plague that inspired it, experts say. While the "Love Bug" was given away by the "ILOVEYOU" subject line of the e-mails that carried it, the new virus changes subject lines every time it is sent. It also destroys most of the files on the computers it infects. "Each time the virus spreads, it mutates itself to evade detection," according to Symantec Corp., an anti-virus software maker in Cupertino, Calif. The virus was detected at several large companies late Thursday, said Dave Perry, spokesman for another anti-virus software maker, Trend Micro Inc. in Cupertino. At one company, 5,000 computers were infected, said Perry, who would not identify any of the companies affected. The subject line of an infected e-mail starts with "FW: " and includes the name of a randomly chosen attachment from a previous e-mail on an infected computer. The e-mail will have an attachment with the same name, but ending in ".vbs." Clicking on the attachment will activate the virus. Like "Love Bug," it will send itself to everyone in the user's address book. It will then overwrite most files on the hard drive, rendering the computer useless until the operating system is reinstalled. So far, Microsoft's Outlook is the only e-mail program the virus is attacking, said Anita Chen, a spokeswoman for Trend Micro. Microsoft has said it will next week make available a modification to Outlook that will warn users about suspect e-mail attachments. The size of the virus's attachments are more likely to crash e-mail servers, experts said. The "Love Bug" had a small attachment, but crashed e-mail servers all over the world when it sent millions of copies of itself through the systems at once. The "Love Bug" spread like an avalanche to millions of computers two weeks ago. Estimates of the damages caused range up to $10 billion, and investigators have questioned several people in the Philippines during the search for the author. The relatively simple "Love Bug" virus was followed some hours later by slightly modified variants, posing as jokes or confirmations on Mother's Day gifts. None of the variants were very widespread. Trend Micro's Perry said he hoped that increased awareness among e-mail users would hold back the spread of the new virus. "Any time a virus hits a week after another virus, its potency is diminished," he said. "People tend to be a little more cautious." By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/virus-ap.html ps i knew there was a good reason for my 'strange' ideas about microsoft! janet paterson 53 now / 41 dx / 37 onset 613 256 8340 / PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada visit my website "a new voice" at: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/