Virus warnings floating around

[Ross McConnell]

I have received variations of this virus warning from a number of sources.
Is anyone able to confirm that this is valid or is it the latest version of
a chain letter with no purpose?

Ross McConnell  Ross_McConnell@Compuserve.Com
Phone:  02 6296 5796    Fax:    02 6296 1225




Subject:       IMPORTANT - NEW COMPUTER VIRUS WARNING

>Bernard Franeli
>Email: nowra@ozemail.com.au
>
>  IMPORTANT!!!!
>>
>>     A few hours ago, Someone opened an E-mail that had the subject
heading
>>     of ao4free.com
>>
>>     Within seconds of opening it, a window appeared and began to displ=
ay
>>     all files that were being deleted.
>>     The user immediately shut down the computer,  but it was too late.=

>>
>>     This virus wiped all out. It ate the  Anti-Virus Software that com=
es
>>     with the Windows '95 Program along with  F-Prot AVS.
>>     Neither was able to detect it.
>>
>>     Please be careful and send this to as many people as possible, so
>>     maybe this new virus can be eliminated.
>>
>>     Please pass this on,...........to anyone you know
>>
>>     This information was received this morning from IBM, please share =
it
>>     with anyone that might access the Internet mail system.
>>
>>     If anyone receives e-mail entitled "PENPAL GREETINGS!" please dele=
te
>>     it WITHOUT READING IT!!  This is a warning for all Internet mail
users
>>     - there is a dangerous virus propagating across the Internet throu=
gh
>>     an e-mail message entitled "PENPAL GREETINGS!"
>>
>>     DO NOT DOWNLOAD ANY MESSAGE ENTITLED "PENPAL GREETINGS"!!
>>     This message appears to be a friendly letter asking you if you are=

>>     interested in a penpal, but by the time you read the letter, it is=

too
>>     late.
>>
>>     The "trojan horse" virus will have already infected the boot secto=
r
of
>>     your hard drive, destroying all of the data present.  It is a
>>     self-replicating virus, and once the message is read, it will
>>     AUTOMATICALLY forward itself to anyone whose e-mail address is
present
>>     in YOUR mailbox!
>>
>>     This virus will DESTROY your hard drive, and holds the potential t=
o
>>     DESTROY the hard drive of anyone whose mail is in your IN BOX, and=

>>     whose mail is in their in box and so on.
>>
>>     If this virus keeps getting passed, it has the potential to do a
great
>>     deal of damage to computer networks worldwide!!!!
>>