In case any of you haven't heard about it yet, or disregarded the information, there is a fast-spreading macro virus known as Melissa on the internet at the moment. It's spread via email attachment, and specifically affects Microsoft's email products Outlook, Outlook Expres and Exchange. While it's payload is relatively innocuous, it's side effects can be deadly. If an infection does occur, it will generate emails to the first 50 names in your address book, attaching itself and a list of porn sites. If multiple systems become affected, the outbound mail server can get taken out by sheer volume of mail.

More importantly, it will attach itself to Word's document templates and cause documents to be emailed to the first 50 people in your address book when they're edited. This can be an obvious disaster, especially if the document contains sensitive work product. One law office i deal with had contracts being modified emailed out - an obviously bad thing to have happen.

Both NAI (McAfee) and Symantec (Norton AV) have updated virus files that will deal with Melissa; in the case of McAfee, the DAT file update you need is 4019, released 3/27. If you're a registered owner of NAV or McAfee's antivirus products, bring them up to date swiftly. Both also have released software for public consumption that will detect and disinfect Melissa, however, if an infection gets into Word, the result of disinfecting will be to lose some or all of your document templates. it's best to catch it before there's a problem. The McAfee software is available from http://www.nai.com

In the meanwhile, until you've done something about putting up current AV software, avoid opening email with a subject of Important messgae from name of sender.