w32.goner.a is hitting Outlook and Outlook Express users hard today. Again, you can get the virus using any email program, but only Outlook sends it to everyone on your address list.

Pretends to be a screen saver. If you don't have Outlook this virus will do nothing. It's non-destructive (so far). Just likes to slow down email servers.

Oh, my bad. It's not TOTALLY non-destructive. It tries to delete your virus protection software as well as your software firewall (if you have either). I have a feeling that it does more than that, and we'll find this out soon.

***UPDATE***

It doesn't just delete files. As Symnatec reports:
"If mIRC is installed, this worm can also insert mIRC scripts that will enable the computer to be used in Denial of Service (DOS) attacks."

Simply put, do a search on your computer for mIRC. If it's there, and you have the virus, DELETE mIRC IMMEDIATELY. Oh yeah, and update your virus software.

[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: Dave Jackson ]

It tries to delete certain executable (.exe)
files, mainly your anti-virus protection files,
but not just your anti-virus software files.
It will be labled HI in the subject line and have an attachment called gone.scr.
DON`T OPEN IT!!!
Just very calmly without looking at it DELETE IT!!!

Dave, why do you have to delete mIRC if you find the virus? Can't you just delete the virus? My son uses mIRC on his machine in the LAN here. He'd just load it again.

My buddy inadvertantly opened it. Lets just say, his system is completely screwed. I believe it came accross as a visual basic file which is fairly standard for a worm virus.

Unbelievable that people create these things on purpose. Somewhere, somehow, they must be profitting. I always wondered what the software engineers at Mcafee and Norton did on the weekend since they probably don't fish. Job security?? Hmmmmm...

Interesting theory, but it's normally someone who is between their late teens and late twenties who wants their (strangely anonymous) 15 minutes of fame.