Dear listers, Just wanted to get this out there since it has been verified and is an actual threat to those on the lists. First let me say that you CANNOT get this or any other virus' from your rootweb lists because the lists do NOT allow attachments which are the cause for virus'. Ok, here is the situation. There is a "worm" called Happy99.exe that has been circulating some of the folks on Rootsweb lists. It has been replicating itself because of the way it works through individual emails to one another (not listmail). Folks, the best idea in this case is to NEVER execute an attachement from anyone you don't know and, in this particular instance, don't execute Happy99.exe even if you know the source. The problem with this particular worm is that YOU don't know that it is being sent. In other words, if you are infected, you will be unknowingly sending out this worm because it acts on it's own. So, people who you know and trust may unknowingly be sending out this worm. The way it acts is thus: When executed, it displays this cutesy little fireworks show on your screen and "Happy New Years 1999!", while it is doing it's damage. It creates files, copies files etc. and then all messages you post to newsgroups and all emails you send will have the Happy99.exe file attached. Now, Rootsweb does not allow attachements, so the message would be rejected, but that would be one of your first clues that you are infected. Other than self-replication, the worm does not do any known damage. The best advice is to get a good virus checking program and run it at all times. McAfee and Norton are both good bets (and yes, the newest versions (and updates) of McAfee do check for and clean this worm) My advice (as a computer consultant and as a user) is to never execute something you receive via email unless you first scan it with your virus program. Being the wife of a computer hacker (who enjoys virii) I have learned the hard way what happens when one of my husband's buddies emails something and I don't scan it first :) So, Rule # 1 is don't send virus "alerts" to the list without clearing them with the listowner first (and I'm always around :) ) Rule #2 NEVER accept an attachement from an unknown source and always virus scan any attachements you receive Rule #3 Get yourself a good virus protection program and run it :) Rule #4 Have fun and let's get back to GENEALOGY!!! :) :) :) If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact me directly. Thanks! Christi Brogan Rootsweb Listowner: Barton, Brogan, Burlingame, Calvert, Dunn, Perley, Voss and Whitmer GenConnect Boardowner: Barton, Brogan, Burlingame, Calvert, Dunn, Perley and Whitmer Visit our listpages at: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cbrogan/ Visit my personal pages at: http://users.idworld.net/brogan