----- Original Message -----
From: Laura Derwacter <hurd(a)globalco.net>
To: <OHMUSKIN-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 1999 2:04 PM
Subject: Fw: [PABUCKS-L] Microsoft 97 or 2000 Computer Virus- NOT a HOAX or
URBAN LEGEND
-----Original Message-----
From: charahl(a)earthlink.net <charahl(a)earthlink.net>
To: PABUCKS-L(a)rootsweb.com <PABUCKS-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 12:12 PM
Subject: [PABUCKS-L] Microsoft 97 or 2000 Computer Virus- NOT a HOAX
or URBAN LEGEND
>This is off topic, but you all need to be aware of it -- this virus
is
>real
>
>I know that this isn't a hoax or urban legend because this happened
to me
>at 4:26 p.m. on Friday afternoon (opened my office e-mail for the
first
>time that day and the message shown at the bottom of this article was
the
>first e-mail in the box. I opened it and it started spewing out
messages
>and filling my e-mail log with more than 158 responses before I could
>shut down the machine. The address of the mailer was from another
>military base (I work at one in Florida) so I assumed it was safe --
BIG
>mistake. It can't hurt you unless you open it, so just highlight it
and
>hit the delete key. Better yet, if you don't recognize the name of
any
>sender, NEVER open an attachment. I reported it to our security and
>network people and they probably had to work the weekend to start
getting
>it purged from the machine. I've sent this to all the genealogy
lists to
>which I belong (listed below) -- please pass it on to the others to
which
>you belong, as well:
>
>MIDMARCH NJHUNTER NJESSEX
NJMORRIS
>SURNAMES-BRITAIN SURNAMES-CANADA PACUMBER
PABUCKS
>ONTARIO SWEDEN WADDELL
KITCHEN
>GLAMORGAN QUAKER-ROOTS BORDER
GENBRIT
>
>
>
>WARNINGS OF COMPUTER VIRUS ISSUED:
>
>PITTSBURGH (AP)--A new computer virus can allow documents to be
e-mailed
>to other people without warning, a potential security breach that
should
>worry businesses and governments, an expert at Carnegie Mellon
University
>said Saturday.
>
>The "Melissa macro" or W97M_Melissa virus spreads via infected e-mail
and
>attacks computers loaded with Microsoft's widely used Word 97 or Word
>2000 programs, according to CERT--or Computer Emergency Response
>Team--Carnegie Mellon's Department of Defense-funded computer
security
>team.
>
>CERT first heard of the virus Friday afternoon and its members worked
>through the night to analyze the virus and develop a fix, CERT
manager
>Katherine Fithen said.
>
>"We're getting so many reports from across the world, that we know
this
>is going to be a huge problem come Monday," Fithen said.
>
>She noted that since CERT was founded 10 years ago, this is only the
>second time it has considered a virus important enough to warrant a
>public announcement. The first, in 1994, warned of a virus that
allowed
>computer burglars to collect passwords.
>
>CERT has not determined where the Melissa virus originated.
>
>Fithen said she is not allowed to say whether any governmental agency
has
>suffered a security breach as the result of Melissa.
>
>Microsoft spokesman Adam Sohn said company programmers worked with
CERT
>and manufacturers of anti-virus programs to develop an antidote.
>
>If a computer user opens an infected Word-format document, the virus
>propagates itself by reading the user's e-mail address book and
sending
>an infected message to the first 50 entries, CERT said.
>
>The message can include the contents of any Word document that is
open on
>the computer, Fithen said.
>
>Also, the virus reproduces and sends so much unwanted e-mail that the
>volume can overload some mail servers, the computers that distribute
>e-mail.
>
>However, it apparently causes no direct damage to a computer's memory
or
>programs.
>
>Infected documents are sent as attachments to e-mails most frequently
>bearing a header: "Subject: Important Message From" and the name of
>person whose computer relayed the virus.
>
>The body of the message says "Here is that document you asked for ...
>don't show it to anyone else ;-)."
>
>Charline Gail KITCHEN Ahlgreen
>Merritt Island, FL
>
>If the pen is mightier than the sword, and a picture is worth a
thousand
>words, then how dangerous is a fax?
>
>______________________________