Boo Hoo! Few high tech flus to attack computers at U.

Flu season may be over, but several new viruses may have hit campus and those afflicted will not know until March. Three computer viruses detected throughout the Philadelphia area are programmed to destroy floppy and hard disk drives on IBM computers and IBM-compatibles. "For the first time there is a real legitimate [threat of viruses] here," Caroline Ferguson, the anti-virus coordinator at the Computing Resource Center, said last night. "We have already detected a few isolated cases." The viruses -- named Michaelangelo, Jerusalem and Maltese Amoeba -- are programmed to trigger themselves on March 6, 13 and 15 repectively. The Jerusalem virus is also known as the Friday the 13th virus. "When the viruses trigger, they render the floppies and hard disks useless," said Don Montabana, user services manager at the Computing Resource Center. "Michaelangelo and Maltese Amoeba are some of the most destructive we've seen." But unlike many other viruses, they will not warn the computer user it is ready to begin destroying the hard drive and floppy disks. "It does not give you any kind of message like 'Ha-ha I'm going to get you,' " Ferguson said. "Most other viruses give you some kind of warning or notice." The viruses do not affect Macintosh computers, according to Montabana. Montabana said anyone with a valid PennCard can get innoculated free of charge by bringing a blank disk to the resource center. The center will then make a free copy of the anti-viral software called Vi-Spy version 8.0. Computers are frequently infected by viruses when users exchange floppy disks or use a modem to access bulletin-board services.

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