600-700 New viruses a month to target e-mail messaging. (Virus Notes).

Computer users should brace for a new onslaught of viruses this year, especially worms deployed into instant messaging systems that allow users to chat quickly and cheaply across the Web. Sophos said it sees more viruses and their cousin, the self-propagating worm, infecting computers in 2003, but their occurrence was not expected to accelerate significantly.

Virus writers are most interested in creating the next super Windows worm, spread by e-mail or instant messaging, as these mass-mailing viruses carry the greatest impact.

Sophos also expects to see a rise in the number of so-called "Backdoor Trojans," which open up holes in operating systems enabling hackers to implant Remote Access Tools (RATS) that can operate an infected computer by remote control. Anti-virus software is generally pretty good at finding viruses, but the weak link is human beings, people launching e-mail attachments without thinking.

E-Mail hazards.

Nine out of last years top 10 viruses were spread by e-mail on Microsoft Windows platforms, with the "Klez" worm as the year's most prolific virus. Last year's second-most common virus was the "Bugbear" worm.

Bugbear took advantage of a known vulnerability in Microsoft's internet Explorer and could be automatically run simply by reading the e-mail and not opening the attachment. "Klez" was also spread by e-mail.

www.sophos.com