The 'Melissa' macro virus that forwards files to other e-mail addresses may be passing more than a Word file with porn sites listed inside. Virus experts say it could be surreptitiously e-mailing confidential information, too.
Every new document created on an infected PC carries the virus.
If it's created on an infected system, the file would, upon sending it to a trusted colleague, find itself being passed on to the top 50 entries in your colleague's address book, as per the scripted instructions of the Melissa Word macro. This new wrinkle may have served as the impetus by federal law enforcement officials to send out on Sunday their first-ever warning about a computer virus. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined with the infant National Infrastructure Protection Center to issue a warning in an attempt to stem the expected tidal wave of email that Melissa is expected to generate. At the same time, law enforcement officials attempting to apprehend the author of the Melissa virus may be able to track their prey by examining a little known piece of electronic code. The FBI, which confirmed it is conducting an investigation, declined further comment.