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Mydoom Computer Worm Arrives as E-mail Attachment

Believed to have originated in Russia, Mydoom spreads in e-mail attachments on computers using Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating systems and is activated when people read their mail attachments.

Unlike most computer worms that usually strike only once, Mydoom is particularly vicious because it will spread continuously from infected computers until Feb. 12.

Like most computer worms and viruses, Mydoom spreads through the e-mail address books of infected computers. Once someone opens the infected attachment, the virus dives into the recipient's address book and resends itself out as an attachment to and using the e-mail addresses listed in the infected address book. If you open an e-mail and suspect that the attachment is infected, do not open the attachment.  

NAHB’s NBN Online and other e-newsletters do not use address books for their distribution and do not include attachments, so NAHB cannot spread Mydoom through the e-newsletters.

To protect your computer from worms and viruses, install anti-virus software from companies such as Symantec/Norton and McAfee. Both are available online. Also, check this week’s Mouse Moves computer tips on the front page.

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