A computer virus posing as a snapshot of sexy Russian tennis star Anna Kournikova ravaged computer terminals across Europe, North America and Australia yesterday, but anti-virus software firms like Taiwan's Trend Micro (趨勢科技) quarantined the bug before it spread too far.
"We haven't had a single [Anna virus] report," said Robert Chang, section chief of the government's Computer Crime Squad.
Europe, America and Australia, however, were not so lucky. The virus slammed these areas, crashing e-mail servers and multiplying faster than the "ILOVEYOU" virus from last May.
PHOTO: AP
In Australia alone, officials believe 100,000 residential computers have been infected. Although the rest of the world lost in straight sets, AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs found its match in Asia.
The world's major anti-virus software companies, including McAfee, Symantec and Trend Micro, stopped the juggernaut dead in its tracks before it hit here.
Thought to have originated in the Netherlands, "by the time [Anna] got to Asia, all of our clients were warned by e-mail at four or five in the morning, Taiwan time," said John DeRiso, spokesman for Trend Micro in Taipei. "Only a few corporate clients are saying they suffered any damage."
The extent of damage from the virus has also been difficult for officials to calculate.
The virus does not erase files in a computer, its payload appears to be crashing e-mail servers, which takes time to fix but is not fatal to a computer system.
It comes disguised as an e-mail from a friend or co-worker with the note, "Check this out ; )" beside an attachment. The attachment appears to be a photo file of Russian tennis beauty Anna Kournikova, but is in fact the virus. Once users click on the attachment Anna commandeers the users' e-mail program, sending infected letters to everyone in their address book.
Similar in makeup to the "Love bug," Anna works fastest on Microsoft Outlook e-mail software.
Although it may not immediately impact Netscape or other kinds of e-mail software, it should be deleted immediately, according to Chris Cottorone, sales manager at Internet design firm Pro QC Studios.
People whose computer might already be infected by this Net varmint can go to www.housecall.antivirus.com for a free check-up and vaccine from Trend Micro.
The company operates computer virus labs worldwide, and its Philippines lab was credited with stopping the "ILOVEYOU" virus last May.
According to DeRiso, Trend's goal is to "get a solution out in under 45 minutes during a red alert when there's a major, fast spreading virus ... and this was a red alert."
Like most things in life, he said prevention is the best medicine in dealing with computer viruses. Updating anti-virus software and scrutinizing e-mails before clicking on attachments are key.
A combination of friendly e-mails and clever disguises, however, can still fool people.
"These e-mails are coming from people you do know, so you think it's safe to open," said DeRiso. "That's probably why these Lovebug-type viruses are the ones that spread -- they're posing as something else, something interesting. Like "ILOVEYOU," it was stupid, but brilliant in a way."
Microsoft spokesman Adam Sohn said the company had released a security update last June, shortly after the "ILOVEYOU" virus spread. That update generates a warning anytime a computer program attempts to access Outlook's address book.
The virus appears to have originated in Europe.
Mikko Hypponen, manager of anti-virus research for F-Secure Cor., said the virus does not permanently damange computers, but if left alone will try to contact a Dutch Web site on Jan. 26, 2002.
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