Melissa virus namesake

Whoever the virus writer is, the work took its toll today. The Computer Emergency Response Team, a Pentagon-financed security service at Carnegie Mellon University, reported calls from organizations indicating the virus had affected at least , workplace computers.

By then the search for Melissa's author -- or authors -- was well under way both by legal authorities and Internet experts, one of whom -- Richard Smith, president of Phar Lap Software -- would coincidentally share the culprit's last name. Although Mr. Smith usually spends his time designing software tools and operating systems, over the weekend he used programmers' tools to peer inside the document carrying the virus known as Melissa, which has wildly spread through the Internet in recent days.

Smith found indications that the virus is a work of a programmer -- or possibly a small group -- who wrote and distributed a similar program two years ago. Moreover, by searching the World Wide Web, he has found clues to the identity of the programmers and even more striking evidence that could lead the authorities to the computer on which the program was written.

David L. Smith, year-old programmer and veteran virus writer, was arrested on April Fool's Day. While his lawyer originally tried to characterize Melissa as closer to graffiti than cyberterrorism, Smith would eventually strike a plea bargain, which prompted this press-release comment from U. Attorney Christopher J. Christie: "Virus writers seem emboldened by technology and enjoy the thrill of watching the damage they reap.

But the case of Mr. Smith and his Melissa virus should prove to others that it's a fool's game. Fifteen years later and the fool's game continues as though David L. Smith had never met that stripper.

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Check out the latest Insider stories here. It is designed to target programs based on Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word. The virus is delivered through email, which offers a list of log-in credentials for pornographic websites.

The free access to several pornographic websites is the bait used to lure the users into clicking the attached file, which is typically a. The Melissa virus is designed to bypass several security protocols on Microsoft Outlook and Word. The automatic forwarding mechanism of the virus means it has the ability to spread exponentially.

The virus is not designed to steal data, but it can cause serious disruption to internet traffic and email servers. When it was first released, Melissa caused major internet disruption to companies and government agencies. Some company servers, including some Microsoft servers, had become so overloaded, they had to be shut down entirely. The unprecedented disruption caused by the virus to the internet in was a wake-up call for everyday computer users, software manufacturers, government agencies, and corporations.

The creator of the Melissa software was arrested following an investigation by the FBI. The U. Justice Department sentenced the creator to 20 months in U. Unfortunately, the Melissa virus had a lasting impact as it inspired several other malware attacks in the years that followed.

There have been significant improvements in computer security systems including the popularity of anti-virus software.

However, intruders and hackers are on the lookout for new ways to penetrate the security system. Keep in mind that opening the Melissa email does not download the virus on the computer; however, if the attached file is downloaded or clicked, then the virus can attack the computer. To protect your computer from the Melissa virus and other types of malware attacks, it is best to be extra cautious when opening emails that look suspicious and use high-quality anti-virus software.

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