A new computer bug, coined the Goner virus, has been infecting computers worldwide and is said to have originated in France.

The virus, sent via e-mail, acts like a worm, crawling around a computer and erasing programs.

NIU is not immune to the virus, and Information Technology Services reported nearly 200 cases showing up in faculty and student e-mails.

From 2:17 p.m. Tuesday to 4 p.m. Wednesday, ITS claimed it stopped 172 e-mails containing the Goner virus from reaching faculty. During the same time period, they stopped 17 virus-plagued e-mails sent to students.

According to Yahoo.com, the virus began in Europe on Tuesday, and at one point was being sent to 36,000 e-mails an hour.

Jason Richardson, an Information Technology security manager for NIU, said it isn’t uncommon for a virus to get around so quickly.

It’s sent through e-mail attachments, Richardson said. If that attachment is opened, it not only begins deleting your files, but it also finds its way to your address book and sends itself to everyone in it.

“It doesn’t take long to get around the world,” Richardson said.

Christina Engelman, a junior English major, thinks she might have come across the virus.

While working on an English paper in Reavis Hall, she noticed an error box suddenly pop onto her screen. Her page was soon blank and her disk ruined.

The lab technician tried to help, but nothing worked, Engelman said. The technician said it might be the new virus, she added.

While Engelman isn’t exactly sure if the virus she encountered was the Goner, the characteristics were similar.

The Goner virus will pop up and error window reading: Error While Analyze DirectX, Richardson said.

The best way to protect yourself against the virus is by monitoring your e-mails, Richardson said.

“Don’t open e-mail attachments unless you’re expecting them … attachments are the number one way to affect a computer,” Richardson added.

Also, Richardson recommends installing software to protect against viruses, and updating that software regularly because old software won’t be able to protect against newly-formed viruses.

Should your computer be infected by the Goner virus, Richardson recommends you call the ITS customer support service at 753-8100.