[Syrphidae] urgent from Colin Plant

[Colin Plant]

Dear All,

A recently created computer virus is becoming very common in the last two=

days!!!!!!!!!!

Someone in my address book, possibly from one of these lists,  has
unwittingly sent me a virus. It arrived as an attachment to an e-mail. Th=
ey
may be unaware that they have sent it. I thought that you might all like =
to
know about it, since it arrives via e-mail.

This alert message is not a hoax and not a circular. The virus reached
ME!!!

The virus is called W32.MTX@MM  which is one of the aliases of the virus
W95/MTX.gen@M.  It arrived here in an e-mail attachment called
MATRiX_Screen_Saver and was not detected by McAfee .dat files version 404=
8.
The attachment has a number or alternative names. It was created in germa=
ny
and was first detected in America on 23rd August 2000. The latest McAfee
.dat files (version 4103) will prevent its arrival.

For technical data go to http://www.McAfee.com or your own anti-virus
software site.

MCAfee alert state for this virus is apparently upgraded from Medium to
High.

It is a 32 bit file infector for Windows 9x/NT systems and is a combinati=
on
of virus, Worm and Backdoor. =


Its effect is to modify .exe and .dll files in the Windows folder (in my
case, in the Systems subfolder of the Windows directory).

Unless you are absolutely up to date with anti-virus software  upgrades y=
ou
may not detect this virus as it arrives.

PLEASE UPGRADE AND SWEEP YOUR SYSTEM NOW. =


The virus will spread to any .exe files you open. So if you re-boot after=
 a
power down you will infect Explorer.exe. If this happens you will not be
able to restart your computer.  SO - DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER UNTIL
YOU HAVE SCANNED IT. Also note that, in spite of the anti-virus
instructions given with the fix, you must NOT DELETE  AND REPLACE affecte=
d
files in the windows systems directory as they are all important for
operation of the computer. You need to DISINFECT them. This has to be don=
e
at DOS level. =


I had great problems and ended up going on line to McAfee.com and joining=

the virus clinic (29 US dollars per year). I then downloaded the SCAN
ON-LINE optionThis cleaned everything except for Explorer.exe which becam=
e
infected as I opened my web browser. I then had to delete Explorer.exe an=
d
copy it back again from the Windows CD (deleting this file is safe).  =


It is nobody's fault if a virus is unknowingly sent. However, If you use
e-mail and you  do not have anti-virus software your are at best  a
complete idiot (your own system may become infected) and at worst
irresponsible (someone else's might!!!).   BUY SOME NOW - McAfee costs
about 25 pounds and you update it regularly on-line. Others are similarly=

priced. =


Best wishes to all,

Colin Plant