Virus update: Love bug may have done it by accident

A computer student in the Philippines has been summoned to appear before investigators regarding last week's Love Bug virus attack.

Onel de Guzman, who had been missing for several days after the virus hit, admitted at a news conference yesterday that he may have accidentally released the virus. He did not directly admit to writing the virus

Investigators tracked down de Guzman after officials at a computer college in the Philippines admitted a student had submitted a thesis similar to the Love Bug virus. De Guzman, named as the author of the thesis, failed to graduate after the school rejected his paper as unethical.

A second suspect, Michael Buen, a student at the same school is also being investigated, according to reports. The two were believed to be members of the same underground computer group, Grammersoft, which provided programming to SMEs and wrote and sold thesis programs to computer students.

De Guzman is believed to live in the same apartment as bank employee, Reonel Ramones, who was arrested by investigators earlier this week, but later released due to lack of evidence.

Filipino police and FBI officials investigating the attack have been given until 19 May to look at 17 computer disks taken from de Guzman's apartment.

Meanwhile, in the US the technology sub-committee of the House of Representatives Science Committee is meeting today to investigate the virus, its effects and methods of future prevention.

The Love Bug virus is the most wide spread virus ever. The latest report from independent US research firm Computer Economics estimate damages worldwide at $6.7bn.

For related news see,
'Love Bug costs US $2.5bn, says survey' http://www.silicon.com/a37407
'Virus Update: Love Bug suspect set free' http://www.silicon.com/a37390
'Love Bug' virus to cost businesses billions' http://www.silicon.com/a37303
'Virus Warning: Love hurts networks worldwide' http://www.silicon.com/a37291