IMPORTANT - Virus warning re emails

[vivmount@greener.u-net.com (Vivien Mountford)]

  I pass on this virus warning, which was sent out by IBM.  The last time that
  I passed on a virus warning, I got involved in a lot of debate about whether
  viruses could be passed on in such a way.  I really don't think it would be
  fruitful to get involved in that conversation again, Paul. Just let me
  repeat that IBM sent out the warning, (and I know a large chemical
  manufacturer which is taking it very seriously, having been caught out by
  viruses in emails before), and that viruses are getting more sophisticated
  every day, so let's just leave it to people to make their own decision
  whether to risk it.
  
  Mike Childs & Margaret Hook, I have sent this to the NW FoE groups and to
  you alone at FoE UK, as I don't know how to alert UWD St generally, so I
  leave this up to you.
  
  Apologies, there will be duplications if you are on various lists
  
  Viv Mountford
  
  The following message has been passed on from IBM, via GPT.
  >
  >
  >Date: 08 August 1997 10:44
  >
  >This information was received this morning from IBM, please share it
  >with anyone that might access the Internet: If anyone receives e-mail
  >entitled "PENPAL GREETINGS!" please delete it WITHOUT READING IT!!
  >
  >This is a warning for all Internet users - there is a dangerous virus
  >propagating across the Internet through an e-mail message entitled
  >"PENPAL GREETINGS!"    Do NOT download or open any message entitled
  >"PENPAL GREETINGS"!!
  >
  >This message appears to be a friendly letter asking you if you are
  >interested in a penpal, but by the time you read the letter, it is too
  >late.  The "trojan horse" virus will have already infected the boot
  >sector of your hard drive, destroying all of the data present. It is a
  >self-replicating virus, and once the message is read, it will
  >AUTOMATICALLY!!!!! forward itself to anyone whose e-mail address is
  >present in YOUR mailbox!
  >
  >This virus will DESTROY your hard drive, and holds the potential to
  >DESTROY the hard drive of anyone whose mail is in your IN BOX, and whose
  >mail is in their in box and so on. If this virus keeps getting passed,
  >it has the potential to do a great deal of damage to computer networks
  >worldwide!
  >
  >Delete the message entitled "PENPAL GREETINGS!" AS SOON AS YOU SEE IT!
  >Pass this message along to all of your friends and other readers of the
  >newsgroups and mailing lists which you are on so that they are not hurt
  >by this dangerous virus!
  >
  >Please pass this along to everyone you know so this can be stopped.'
  >
  >Regards
  >Justine Stanford
  >Customer Services Manager
  >
  >