Worm virus ravages corporate networks

A virus which has been described as being "bigger than Melissa" is currently rampaging through corporate email servers across the US and Europe.

Even technology industry giants have picked it up - an unnamed source from the security industry told Silicon.com this morning that Lucent Technologies is under siege from the virus and suspects that Microsoft and Intel could be suffering the same fate.

Unlike Melissa, the Worm.ExporeZip virus is malicious and could delete Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents from the user's PC, according to security specialists.

The virus is triggered when an infected user receives an email. A reply email is automatically sent containing the virus but the email is cleverly disguised as a genuine message from the sender.

Virus technologist Alex Shipp, from ISP Star, which monitors and screens for viruses, told Silicon.com that he expects an epidemic that will dwarf the Melissa panic. "It doesn't replicate as fast as Melissa but, more worryingly, it is appearing from more sources". He added that the virus is more sophisticated than Melissa suggesting that its creators' intentions are far more serious.

Jan Hruska, technical director at Sophos security specialists, confirmed that the Worm virus has been reported across Germany, the Czech Republic and the US. He also confirmed that the company has received distress calls from five major corporates in the UK this morning. He predicted that infection will be swift across the rest of the corporate landscape.

Hruska's advice is to beware of any email even if you think its genuinely from a friend or a colleague.

Those worried should visit the usual sites to update security software with special protection from the worm virus: http://www.sophos.com or http://www.networkassociates.com