Net virus set for 9/11 blitz

The computer virus wreaking havoc across the Internet is set to destroy itself on September 10 — but not before spawning a DEADLIER new strain, experts believe.

That could be timed to create meltdown on September 11, shaking the world again on the anniversary of the terror blitz.

Yesterday, experts estimated that the Sobig.F email virus had caused £30million damage to businesses and home computers since Monday — with another wave of attacks due at around 7pm last night.

Billions of bogus messages are flooding through cyberspace, crashing email systems and bringing down business networks across the world.

The Sobig virus — first identified in January — is now in its sixth strain.

Jack Clark, of virus-busting firm McAfee, said: “It seems to be getting a lot cleverer. Even if it ends on September 10, it won’t be the last we’ve heard of it.

“A new version could rear its ugly head as early as the next day.

“You just can’t stop this sort of thing happening — even if everyone in the world installs a fix.”

The virus spreads when someone clicks open an attachment in an email headed “Thank You”, “Re: Details” or “Re: App-roved”. The attachments end with the letters “pif”.

Once open, it searches the computer for other email addresses and bombards them too.

Machines are left vulnerable to hackers who can access credit card numbers and bank details.

Yesterday, an instruction was found hidden in the virus that experts believed could make infected PCs bombard 20 specific world targets at 7pm.

That could seize up the Internet, making travel bookings and on-line sales impossible.

The time trigger is set to be activated again at the same time tomorrow.

Carole Theriault, a consultant at Sophos Anti-Virus, said: “The problem is we don’t know what that programme is.

“It could be dangerous and delete files, or just be a stupid message.”

Email traffic has soared 60 per cent in the past few days as Sobig spread to 148 countries. One in 17 messages contains the virus.

SOURCE

(I have been receiving over 100 of these emails daily this week. Fortunately, they are all quaranteened in my Message Center before they reach my mailbox.)


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