General 8065 Published by

Who can resist opening an e-mail message with a subject line that reads, "ILOVE YOU"? Apparently, not too many people. An e-mail virus (technically a worm) contained in such a message suddenly appeared on Thursday and is quickly spreading throughout the world.

Peter Tippett, president of the ICSA, a security organization that certifies antivirus software, says VBS.Loveletter.A is "the most virulent, expensive, and fast-spreading infection in virus history." The organization expects that the worm will cost companies up to a billion dollars, and it is expected to infect as many as half of all U.S. corporations before it runs its course. By 9 a.m. Eastern Time Thursday morning, estimates were that it had already infected over a million PCs.

Read more