A new virus called W97M/Melissa.W, which carries several infections that can cause harmful outcomes, has struck various NIU computers.

The Melissa virus has 30 to 40 variations, the most recent of which has crashed NIU systems at a high volume, said Jason Richardson, NIU’s network security and equipment manager.

“The newest Melissa virus is being reported at a rate that is increasing rapidly,” Richardson said. “But the virus doesn’t carry an overly destructive load.”

The Melissa virus infects users with Microsoft 1997, 2000, and 2001 documents by adding the module named Melissa. Although the virus isn’t unique and therefore not destructive, the virus does contain a payload that uses Microsoft Outlook to send an attachment which is contained within the document that is being opened.

A couple of initial problems that might occur from Melissa include crashing an e-mail server or sending confidential documents to other users who are or will be infected by the virus, according to symantec.com, a security-based computer site.

Richardson said the type of Melissa virus NIU is dealing with isn’t as volatile as it could be, but still can affect NIU systems to a lesser degree.

“A person that [operates a computer] infected with the Melissa virus will typically see their entire mail system overwhelmed with the virus,” Richardson said. “We have not had that trouble here.”

Richardson went on to say that a couple other NIU programs are susceptible to this virus.

“Melissa can spread on Macintosh machines and PCs,” Richardson said. “When it does, it propagates itself by sending the virus into one’s documents and ultimately brings the work being done on the document to a halt.”

The virus originally becomes dominant inside a person’s computer system when they open an attachment that says things like, “Important message from (user)” or “What you are asking for.” People receive this attachment through their e-mail, when the virus chooses a name from their address list and uses that name as a decoy for them to open it.

Richardson explained that the virus will send itself out to the first 50 addresses in the person’s address book. If the particular person has more than one address book, the virus will spread to the first 50 addresses within the two or more address books. The 50 other addresses that receive the e-mail will be subject to the virus as well.

NIU has seen its fair share of virus troubles over the past couple of months. Two viruses called Navidad and Snowhite were seen on a few occasions before Christmas, according to Richardson.

“With Snowhite, we’re still seeing some of that on campus systems,” Richardson said, “The virus was a message sent about Snow White that arrived using a stranger’s name. The virus, however, didn’t carry a really destructive payload.”

The Navidad virus, however, did cause much more severe problems, said Richardson.

“Navidad sent out a virus to all address books within Microsoft Outlook,” Richardson said. “Whoever wrote it was careful because it would cause an entire system to become extremely unstable.”

Even if a student or faculty member hasn’t yet experienced any of the viruses seen at NIU in the past couple of months, Richardson said it is important to be careful when opening strange or suspicious e-mails.