Thursday 11 May 2000 Latest computer virus offers `fix' WASHINGTON: One of the latest mutations of the Iloveyou computer virus purports to be an "official bug and virus fix," but can make a computer inoperable, software companies said on Wednesday.

One software group, F-Secure, said it had identified 23 strains of the virus, including email messages in Portuguese and German.

Another anti-virus company, Computer Associates, said the virus masquerading as a cure "has the potential to render a computer system unbootable, as it overwrites com and dll files in the user's PC." This strain has the subject line "important, official virus and bug fix.''

The messange reads, "This is an official bug and virus fix. I got it from our system admin. It may take a short while to update your system files after you run the attachment."

Computer Associates said anyone who receives such a message should delete it or possibly lose the use of their PC.

"The newest variant combines the method previously used by another variant, masquerading as a bug and virus fix, but this one can make a system unusable,'' said Computer Associates vice president Simon Perry.

F-Secure said it had discovered another strain with the message in Portuguese "O uol tem um grande presents para voce, e eh exclusivo," or "I have a big present for you".

http://www.timesofindia.com/today/11info4.htm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), May 11, 2000