Be careful about the embedded links! Information about the W32/Mydoom.ah@MM virus.

Be careful about the embedded links that may appear in your email messages.  There is a new version of the Mydoom virus that will infect your computer if you click on the link in the text of the e-mail. Typically, you must download and open the attachment to be infected with a virus. But, not with this one!

According to anti-virus software manufacturer McAfee Inc., this version of Mydoom instructs users to click on the link, which takes them to an infected machine, which in turn places the infection on the victim's computer.

The messages containing this virus vary, but some appear to be from PayPal, eBay's online payment system.

The e-mail text reads:

"Congratulations! PayPal has successfully charged $175 to your credit card. Your order tracking number is A866DEC0, and your item will be shipped within three business days. To see details please click this link." If you click on that link, your computer will become infected with the Mydoom virus.

Once a PC is infected, the virus grabs addresses from local files and sends itself using those harvested addresses in the "from" field.   Some of these messages contain the following text: 

• "Hi! I am looking for new friends.
• "My name is Jane, I am from Miami , FL.
• "See my homepage with my weblog and last webcam photos!
• See you!"

Please visit McAfee’s Virus Information Library (VIL) located at http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_129631.htm for additional information about this threat.