Antivirus companies are concentrating heavily on the Sober.V computer worm this week, warning users of Microsoft Outlook just how fast this threat can spread to thousands of computers.

	WEEKLY REPORTS Solutions, Prevention & Remedies Top 10 Threats

According to Panda Software, the number of computers infected by Sober.V increased by more than 500 percent over the past week.

As a so-called worm, the virus infects your computer by way of e-mail attachment and self replicates onto additional disks, computers or networks.

Using subject lines such as "mailing error" or "your password," the virus tricks the user into opening the attached file. After the file is downloaded and run, it will display a phony message, reading, "Error: CRC not complete." The virus will then send itself to the e-mail addresses you have stored in Microsoft Outlook.

There are steps that you can take to keep Sober.V from spreading further. Be sure that your virus protection is up to date and be cautious of the messages you receive from both users who are unfamiliar to you and your contacts.

Virus Protection and Prevention Resources:
Panda ActiveScan

Symantec

How to delete and block messages from Sober.V in Microsoft Outlook:
Users of Microsoft Outlook can create a rule using the Rules Wizard to automatically delete Sober.V messages when they match certain criteria. The following instructions, provided by Tim Rozgonyi of the Post-Gazette, will work for Outlook 2000. Please be aware that infected messages may still land in your inbox. Other precautions should still be taken.

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* Reading: Solutions, Prevention & Remedies
Additional summary information related to a specific type of solution or prevention that you should be considering. Depending upon the week, this section may have:
• Recent Windows security releases from Microsoft
• Recent updates to widely used anti-spyware programs
• Recent updates to widely used anti-virus programs
• Recent updates to other security programs & devices (ex: Firewalls, routers)
• Recent updates to various applications in wide use

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Read: Top Threats
These are viruses that are currently on the watch lists of major anti-virus software companies.

Name
What the threat is called. We use the name given each virus by Panda Software. Sometimes other anti-virus companies give the same threat a different name. Usually they use similar names.

Type
There are different characteristics associated with different types of threats.
• Virus - has the ability to replicate or infect computers or other programs
• Trojan Horse (or Trojan) - appear to be harmless programs when you get them. They unleash their payload when you double-click, open, or execute them.
• Phishing - a Web site or e-maill message posing as another company - usually one you know to fool you into giving the sender personal information.
• Worm - self replicates onto additional disks, computers or networks
• Spyware - installs on your system to collect information about your activity, preferences or interests
• Hoax - false messages sent by e-maill to mislead the recipient
• Backdoors - opens a security hole that allows outsiders to take control of your computer
• Dialer - uses your telephone to dial an outside number - sometimes a number that costs you money when dialed

Affects
Not all viruses affect all types of systems. Some, for example may affect only Windows 98 and 95, but not Windows XP or NT. Others affect all Windows systems, but not Macintosh. In this column, we show you the consumer systems that the threat is known to affect. We don't always include the servers that operate in your company's backroom.

Alert level
The level of awareness that anti-virus vendors suggest you need to have for each threat listed.
For each threat listed, we'll post a corresponding link here, so you can get more information to help you recognize, diagnose, prevent, and repair the problem.