Computer virus infects up to 50 Hill House computers

The flu isn't the only bug to hit campus this fall. A computer virus known as W32/Pretty Worm or Pretty Park, spread through Hill College House recently and possibly other parts of campus, according to Information Security Officer Dave Millar, who said up to 50 computers in Hill have been affected. The virus -- which affects Windows-based machines -- can open up personal information like passwords and credit card numbers saved on the computer. It infects machines when users open it as an e-mail attachment, and then sends copies of itself to different people in the user's address book. Though not all e-mail programs will copy and send the virus to other addresses, computers can be infected regardless of the program being used. Mike LaMonaca, an information technology support specialist with College House Computing, said that "computer applications may fail to work properly, and information stored on the computer may be compromised." LaMonaca said that last Friday afternoon, a student in Hill House opened an e-mail attachment that was a copy of the virus. Though the virus was then sent to other computers in Hill House, LaMonaca added, he does not know if it spread from Hill to other campus locations. "I think we're still assessing how widespread it was," LaMonaca said. Later that afternoon, a fix for the virus was placed on Hill House's World Wide Web site, and LaMonaca e-mailed information technology managers around campus to let them know about the outbreak. According to Vice Provost for Information Systems and Computing James O'Donnell, the virus is transmitted throughout a community much like a disease. "Something happens that brings it into your neighborhood," O'Donnell said. "[Viruses] are designed to spread rapidly." Millar said that if the virus were to continue spreading, it could potentially cause enough e-mail to be sent to override campus mail servers. Besides not opening unfamiliar attachments, there are other ways students can prevent the spread of PrettyPark. The University has a license with Network Associates to provide VirusScan, an anti-virus program, to all Penn students for no cost. Students can also receive free updates that allow the software to recognize the latest viruses. And PrettyPark is not a new virus -- updates for it were available since late in the spring.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.