[quoteurl=http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/internet/07/15/japan.computer.virus.ap/index.html]New e-mail virus found in Japan
Not clear how widely 'Frethem' has spread
July 15, 2002 Posted: 12:37 PM EDT (1637 GMT)
TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japanese software makers said Monday they have detected two strains of a new computer virus that attacks files and disables antivirus software.
"Frethem.K" multiplies by sending virus copies to e-mail addresses from a computer's address book, Tokyo-based Trend Micro Inc. said on its Web site.
Another, more virulent strain, dubbed Frethem.L, is also circulating, according to Tokyo-based Japan Network Associates' Web site.
The computer bugs use the sender's address and appear on a recipient's e-mail log with the subject header "Re: Your password!" Opening the message activates the virus, which destroys files and instructs the computer to connect to the Internet and visit several Web sites.
Trend Micro, which specializes in antivirus software, said 44 cases of the Frethem.K virus had in been reported in Japan by Monday. It wasn't clear how widely the Frethem.L virus had spread.
The e-mail server at Japan's National Aerospace Laboratory was infected with the virus on Monday, Kyodo News said. The lab shut down electronic communication for several hours to purge the virus from the computer network, it said.
Both Trend Micro and Japan Network Associates were offering a free software vaccine, which can be downloaded from their Web sites. [/quoteurl]
Not clear how widely 'Frethem' has spread
July 15, 2002 Posted: 12:37 PM EDT (1637 GMT)
TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japanese software makers said Monday they have detected two strains of a new computer virus that attacks files and disables antivirus software.
"Frethem.K" multiplies by sending virus copies to e-mail addresses from a computer's address book, Tokyo-based Trend Micro Inc. said on its Web site.
Another, more virulent strain, dubbed Frethem.L, is also circulating, according to Tokyo-based Japan Network Associates' Web site.
The computer bugs use the sender's address and appear on a recipient's e-mail log with the subject header "Re: Your password!" Opening the message activates the virus, which destroys files and instructs the computer to connect to the Internet and visit several Web sites.
Trend Micro, which specializes in antivirus software, said 44 cases of the Frethem.K virus had in been reported in Japan by Monday. It wasn't clear how widely the Frethem.L virus had spread.
The e-mail server at Japan's National Aerospace Laboratory was infected with the virus on Monday, Kyodo News said. The lab shut down electronic communication for several hours to purge the virus from the computer network, it said.
Both Trend Micro and Japan Network Associates were offering a free software vaccine, which can be downloaded from their Web sites. [/quoteurl]
