Business Advisory / New Destructive Variants of the I-Worm.LoveLetter Already Reported Spreading Globally

Business Wire, May 5, 2000

Business/High-Tech Editors

MEDINA, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2000

Central Command's Emergency Virus Response Team (EVRT) has now reported several new variants of the original Internet Worm LoveLetter. These variants have been spreading as fast as the original with the same deadly payload, which has already reached an epidemic level never seen before throughout the world.

"We are now seeing 4 new variants of the I-Worm.LoveLetter worm spreading rapidly in-the-wild and expecting this number to increase in the next few days," Said Steven Sundermeier, Manager of Technical Services at Central Command Inc. "Our EVRT (Emergency Virus Response Team) is continually working around the clock to stop this global outbreak and keep our customers completely protected," concluded Sundermeier.

Central Command estimates that 2.5 million PC users have been infected in the United States alone from I-Worm.LoveLetter or its' counterparts.

Currently the subject lines of the known variants are:

-- Subject: ILOVEYOU.

-- Subject: Susitikim shi vakara kavos puodukui...

-- Subject: Fw: Joke

These worms are of high risk, and are aggressively infecting computer users. Central Command strongly urges all computers user to continually update their antivirus software and stay informed over the next few days or until this epidemic is under control. For the latest on I-Worm.LoveLetter and its variants subscribe to Central Command's mailing list at www.avp.com.

I-Worm.LoveLetter is an overwriting Visual Basic Script worm that is spreading through the internet via a Microsoft Outlook e-mail message. This malicious worm exploits the Outlook e-mail application and distributes the "LoveLetter" as a chain letter. It has also been reported circulating through mIRC clients as well.

A free fully functional time limited antivirus software evaluation is available from Central Command at www.avp.com that can successfully detect and remove the I-Worm.LoveLetter worm.

About Central Command: Central Command Inc. is a privately held international company with headquarters in Medina, Ohio, USA. Founded in 1990 the company specializes in anti-virus protection products and focuses on serving the industrial market place, government, financial, educational institutions and service industries.