Zip Virus Alert

[Gregor Hodgson]

My university computer center has sent the following message which I
must assume is reliable info and therefore a serious threat. I am
posting the message as a public service. Please do not respond to me
with queries.

Greg

This message is to alert you on a destructive PC virus called
ZippedFiles, a new e-mail worm spreading rapidly through the Internet.

This virus works like a chain letter and carries a destructive payload.
It arrives to a user via an e-mail attachment with mail content looks
like:

    I received your email and I shall send you a reply ASAP.
    Till then, take a look at the attached zipped docs.
    Sincerely

    Attachment: zipped_files.exe

If you receive a message like this, do not open zipped_files.exe. In
case you choose to open it, the virus will browse through the inbox of
the Microsoft Outlook e-mail program and will send a reply to every
message. In addition, it will try to overwrite your files on any
accessible disk drives.

To protect from this and other viruses attack, users are advised to:

  - update/install anti-virus utility to the latest version
    periodically
  - avoid running programs obtained from un-secured source, such as
    download from Internet or mail attachments received from friends