Latest Virus Causing Undeliverable Messages

28 January 2004

We have received inquiries from several customers regarding error messages or undeliverable messages for emails that they did not send. This is a result of the latest virus.

When a machine is infected with the virus, it accesses the address book of Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express, picks a name at random and begins sending messages to everyone in the address book "from" that name. If your email address is located in the address book of an infected user, your name and email address may be used as the "from" address. The email is not actually sent from your account and is not sent through our servers.

When the email with the faked "from" address arrives at an email server, the email server flags it as a virus and bounces the email to the "from" address. Therefore, if your address was used as the "from" address, then you will receive those error messages or undeliverable messages.

WARNING: If the ISP simply bounces the email and does not strip the virus from the email and you are using a Microsoft based PC, then you could be infected by the bounced messages.

If you receive error messages or undeliverable messages for emails that you did not send, DO NOT OPEM THE ATTACHMENT and delete the emails immediately. Also, be cautious about any email that has an attachment which has the extension of .exe, .zip, or is from someone who you are not expecting to send you something -- EVEN IF YOU KNOW THE PERSON WELL.

It is also possible that your machine is infected with the virus. The virus installs an SMTP server on your machine and sends out emails. Those emails, however, will not appear in the outbox of your Outlook or Outlook Express. In this case, you need to run anti-virus software to clean the virus from your system.

And again, if you are using a Macintosh computer, this whole situation will NOT affect you at all -- at least as far as the virus is concerned.

If you are using a Microsoft PC, though, you need to immediately update your anti-virus software or buy a Macintosh. The latter is preferred :)

Remember, for the time being, we are blocking all .zip files from passing through your email server. We are sorry for any inconvenience that may cause, but right now it is the only way to block the virus propagation.

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