LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Computer Viruses: E-Mail
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The latest thing in the world of computer viruses is the e-mail virus, and the Melissa virus in March 1999 was spectacular. Melissa spread in Microsoft Word documents sent via e-mail, and it worked like this:
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The computer viruses are normally received by an e-mail. When you open an e-mail that contains a virus, it automatically and secretly installs itself into your computer. They then have access to do whatever they want, such as delete everything on your computer and send itself to everyone listed in your e-mail's address book. The messages it sends contain the virus, and since it sends itself to your friends using your name, they open it and then their computer gets the virus and does the same thing to them. So how do you prevent it?
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Computer viruses—just the thought of your trusty PC catching one is probably enough to make you sick. Thanks to the cyber-sickies who persist in coming up with new strains, there’s a major new cyberattack nearly every day. Viruses sneak in, usually through e-mail.
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