US government agencies including the State Department, the CIA and the Defence Department said their computer systems had been hit by the virus but that top-security material had not been affected. The virus was activated when computer-users opened the file, prompting their machines to send the infected file to every contact in their address lists. This created a huge volume of electronic mail that overwhelmed computer systems.
Experts say more are likely to follow.
Philippines lead Reports suggest the Love Bug may have originated in the Philippines. The State Department was forced to disconnect its computer systems from the internet, according to a spokesman. It spread at great speed. One DJ in Texas received the e-mail virus 1,500 times. Europe was also hard hit on Thursday.