The Department of Public Safety is urging internet users to be on an alert Web watch. The Department warns residents of a new virus infecting computers. Spokesman Terri Durdaller says the virus, called Malware, is embedded in emails that prompt recipients to approve internet explorer downloads. She says the emails carry a subject line of "Internt Explorer 7 Downloads" and appear to come from admin@microsoft.com . The emails include a blue, Microsoft-style graphic and offer a download of IE 7 beta 2. The department says clicking the graphic will download a file called IE7.exe. Durdaller says that file gives an outside intruder complete access to any personal files on a computer’s hard drive without the original user’s permission.
The department recommends internet users to block emails that do not originate from a .gov, .com, .org or .mil, though users should always be wary of emails even from those domains.
Durdaller says the state has recieved 80 of these emails so far and officials are monitoring the emails and the associated user activity.