Melissa worm author convicted. (Security).

Sophos, has welcomed the sentencing by a US court of David L. Smith - the self-confessed author of the infamous Melissa worm - to 20 months imprisonment and a fine of $5,000. The Melissa worm was the first ever successful mass-mailing worm and has provided the blueprint for many other mass mailers including The Love Bug, Anna Kournikova and MyParty. The New Jersey court adjudged Smith's worm to have caused more than [pounds sterling]55 million pounds worth of damage.

However, with Smith first confessing to writing and distributing the worm in 1999, Sophos is calling for swifler action by the courts to increase the deterrent to future virus writers.

"The Melissa worm was a serious security breach, inconveniencing millions of computer user's the world over - it's important that Smith has been dealt with in an appropriate manner by the US courts," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant, Sophos Anti-Virus. "It's just a shame that the authorities couldn't have worked quicker to bring him to book. Smith has already been a dark inspiration to a whole generation of script kiddies - these copycat virus writers would have undoubtedly thought twice before distributing their malicious code if their hero was serving time." Melissa, named after a Florida stripper admired by David L. Smith, congested the email systems of thousands of companies worldwide causing many to panic and shut down their internet connection to the outside world.

More information on the Melissa virus can be found at www.sophos.com