Further to Linda's posting I note from the mail that I received this morning that someone else on the list also appears to have the W32.Badtrans.13312@mm virus - I have written off-list! Firstly, unless you know what you are doing DO NOT open an attachment with any of the following or similar names: Pics.ZIP.scr images.pif README.TXT.pif New_Napster_Site.DOC.scr news_doc.scr hamster.ZIP.scr YOU_are_FAT!.TXT.pif searchURL.scr SETUP.pif Card.pif Me_nude.AVI.pif Sorry_about_yesterday.DOC.pif s3msong.MP3.pif docs.scr Humor.TXT.pif fun.pif also Sorry_about_yesterday.DOC.pif may appear as Sorry_about_yesterday.DOC or Sorry_about_yesterday.pif, depending on your file set-up: IF you do you may launch a virus that replies to all unread mails in your email message folders, taking a copy of the virus with it to your relation, friend and fellow list members! In addition it drops a backdoor Trojan onto your computer which can compromise your security settings allowing access from the web to such as passwords etc For further information on the little beasty I would suggest that you have a look at either: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.badtrans.13312@mm.html or http://www.sophos.co.uk/virusinfo/analyses/w32badtransa.html So, in summary, as Linda said "don't panic, but do be aware: keep your anti-virus software up to date and don't open ANY attachments that you aren't expecting, even if the e-mail is from someone you know and love - check with them first to ensure they have sent you something deliberately, rather than by accident! Regards Paul Portland List Owner On Sat, 14 Apr 2001 18:02:14 +0100, you wrote: >Hi, > >Can I just stop any panic by explaining that Brian means (or he should :>) >that he did NOT actually get the virus as an attachment from THE MAILING >LIST ITSELF. This CANNOT happen. You cannot send any attachments to any >mailing list at Rootsweb and therefore you cannot receive any. > >What's happened to Brian is that someone from this or any other mailing list >he belongs to, has his email address in their address book. The virus - >which in this case looks like a worm - then sends itself out to everyone on >this poor person's pc. Check your systems and visit www.download.com for >cleaners etc. > >These things happen - but don't panic! > > >Regards, > >Linda For 19th Century Newspaper Extracts see: http://members.netscapeonline.co.uk/pbtyc/News_Extracts/News_Extracts_Index.html