New Computer Virus

[Jim Mason]

This is a nasty one.  Following is a copy of what
I have been sending to folks about it.

There is a new bug around that will come as an attachment to email.  It is
much more dangerous than the Happy 99 virus.  I copied the following from
the MSNBC
web site: http://www.msnbc.com/news/278660.asp  Read the following or visit
the web
page to read the whole story.  If you have already gotten infected, there is
information
on the web page that explains how to delete it.

DO NOT OPEN ANY ATTACHMENT TO YOUR EMAIL THAT IS NAMED "ZIPPED_FILES.EXE"
REGARDLESS OF WHO IT CAME FROM!!!!!

--------------------------------------------

The worm spreads by automatically sending a reply to e-mail sent to an
infected user. The original sender of the mail gets an immediate reply that
has an attachment
with the file name “zipped_files.exe.”
       The body of the message reads:
       “Hi (recipient’s name)!
       “I received your e-mail and I shall send you a reply ASAP.
       “Till then, take a look at the attached zipped docs.
       “bye.”
       According to an advisory posted by Symantec, users who receive such a
message should delete it without opening it, then empty their deleted items
file.

------------------------------

I would add to Symantec's recommendation that the recipient should
immediately notify the person they got the infected message from that THEIR
computer is infected so they can correct the problem.  This virus causes
damage to programs (Word and Excel) on the resident computer in addition to
sending itself out on the email program.

Jim Mason
jemason at msn.com