Computer virus plagues e-mail
messages
By Kelsey VanArsdall
Campus
Editor
If downloaded, the "my party" computer virus will
e-mail itself to every address in the infected computer's message system.
So far the virus has not been found to crash or
shut down the PC it affects. The virus has already made its way through
Asia and the United Kingdom.
Jim Bottum, the vice president for information
technology, said he hopes closing the open relay hub, which allows students
to forward mail from their Purdue account to an alternate account, will
prevent viruses from affecting so many students.
"Things are under control right now, and once the
open relay is closed, it will reduce traffic on viruses."
However, some students around campus are still
concerned.
"I use my e-mail pretty much all the time for class
information and to contact family and friends," said Ben Rinzel, a junior
in the Schools of Engineering. "Things like this are really annoying."
Tom MacDonald, a sophomore in the School of Liberal
Arts, accidentally downloaded the virus.
"The screen went black, so I went to class and
when I got back I had received like 70 e-mails. I don't know exactly
how it works, but it sent itself to everyone in my address book," he
said.
The new virus, or worm, as workers in the office
of the vice president for information technology refer to it, arrives
in an e-mail that's subject is titled "new photos from my party!" The
message reads, "Hello! My party … it was absolutely amazing! I
have attached my webpage with new photos! If you can please make color
prints of my photos. Thanks."
Bottum said that sometimes the e-mail appears to
be from a sender that the recipient knows.
"I got home yesterday and had four subjects and
saw attachments and new it was a virus, but there was one name recognized,"
said Rinzel.
Some students knew about the virus before they
received the e-mail.
Katie Strzempka, a freshman in the School of Technology,
said she heard from one of her professors not to open the virus.
"I got home from my class and saw that it had been
sent to me three times, so I just deleted it," said Strzempka.
Bottum said his office is taking several actions
to make sure students know about the virus.
"Education is the key thing here; it was a very
big virus initially and it is important that students and faculty know
that it is a virus and they should delete it," he said.
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