GFI's Mail essentials can block this notorious word virus

London, UK, 19 January 2001 - GFI, leading developer of email security & anti-virus software, warns that a new strain of the infamous Melissa email virus is on the loose and spreading. The new variant of this notorious Word macro virus, known as Melissa-X or Melissa-2001, can be blocked at server level by Mail essentials, GFI's email content checking and anti-virus solution.

Melissa-2001 is transmitted by email via a Macintosh-formatted Word document. It is based on the original Melissa virus, a Word macro virus that first appeared in March 1999, causing millions of dollars worth of damage due to downtime and information security costs. This new strain travels in an email with "Important message from [username]" as the Subject and an attachment currently entitled ANNIV.DOC, together with a body text message which says: "Here is that document you asked for… don't show anyone else ;-)."

Should a Windows PC user open the attachment, Melissa-X is activated and, as a result, automatically emails mass copies of the infected file to contacts in the user's email address book. This could eventually clog mail servers, causing them to shut down, as had happened with Melissa 2 years ago.

"With Mail essentials, blocking this virus is easy. The product's anti-virus module prevents the virus from infecting the system. At the same time, Mail essentials has the unique capability of automatically removing Word macros at server level, meaning that the document and mail will be sent to the recipient without the dangerous macro, so that it is now completely secure," Nick Galea, GFI CEO explained.

Mail essentials for Exchange/SMTP is an email content checking and anti-virus solution that removes all types of email-borne threats before they can affect an organisation's email users. Spam, viruses, dangerous attachments and offensive content can be removed before the email users can receive them. More information can be found at http://www.gfi.com/me/index.html. The full version of Mail essentials is available from $350.