A number of our customers are concerned that their websites may be infected with a virus, because they are receiving messages like this:

  ScanMail for Microsoft Exchange has detected virus-infected attachment(s).

  Sender = feedback@yoursite.org.uk
  Recipient(s) = Bulletin 
  Subject = Re: Excel file
  Scanning time = 03/09/2004 11:45:35
  Engine/Pattern = 6.860-1001/807

  Action on virus found:
  The attachment document_excel.pif contains WORM_NETSKY.D virus. ScanMail has
  Deleted it. 

  Warning to sender. ScanMail has detected a virus in an email you sent.

First, be assured that we take virus security very seriously. All our office email is virus scanned as it enters and leaves the office. All our servers run the Linux operating system, whereas the vast majority of viruses (more than 99%) only effect Microsoft operating systems. We keep our systems patched and up to date at all times. Finally, note that we do not usually offer email services to our clients: typically your email will be handled by your ISP, and never goes to the web servers which are hosted by Jamkit.

The explanation for the message above is as follows.

Most modern viruses reproduce by sending copies of themselves to as many people as possible. If you are infected, they do this by examining your address book, and sending misleading emails to random recipients.

Increasingly, these "worm" viruses cover up their tracks by adding a fake "from" address to the infected email. To add authenticity, they also use the infected computer's address book as a source for the "from" address.

If you have been receiving messages like the one above, it means that someone who you know is infected, and the worm on their computer has emailed itself to someone in their address book, with your email address as the sender.

What can you do?

• Make sure you use an up to date virus scanner
• If you are getting a lot of messages like this, consider adding a filter to your email so that you don't see them