Beware of `Happy New Year' virus

Beware of `Happy New Year' virus
DEBABRATA MOHANTY

BHUBANESWAR, DECEMBER 31: As the clock strikes 12 on December 31, PC users worldwide may receive an e-mail called `Happy New Year' that could wipe out the smile from their faces. It could erase Windows from their computer along with many other program files.

Happy New Year isn't the only virus that could cause havoc in computer systems all over the globe. There are about 20 viruses like Chinese Fish, W97M/Caligula.A, W97M/Chack.H and W97M/Chantal that would be let loose by virus-writers on the New Year Eve. If that's not enough, then there are two more equally-dangerous viruses -- Chinese Fish (another variant) and November 17th.800A that threatens to debilitate computers on New Year Day. CNN has been sounding warnings since November.

As software engineers are busy tackling the Y2K threat, a bigger problem of computer viruses threatens to ground systems: viruses under the garb of providing the solution to Y2K problem.