“A new computer virus that spreads using e-mail messages is breaking records for new infections that were set by the last major e-mail worm, Sobig.F, according to leading antivirus software companies and e-mail security firms,” Paul Roberts reports for ComputerWorld.

[The virus infects Windows machines, Macintosh computers are unaffected (although 'Net traffic and email slowdowns affect every computer user online).]

“Infected e-mail messages carrying the Mydoom virus, also known as Shimgapi and Novarg, have been intercepted from over 142 countries and now account for one in every 12 e-mail messages, according to Mark Sunner, chief technology officer at e-mail security company MessageLabs Ltd.,” Roberts reports. “That surpasses the record set by the Sobig.F virus, which appeared last August and, at its peak, was found in one of every 17 messages intercepted by MessageLabs, he said.”

“Since first detecting the new virus at 1 p.m. GMT yesterday, MessageLabs has intercepted almost 1 million infected e-mail messages carrying the virus, Sunner said. The virus has “followed the sun,” hitting hard in the U.S. and Canada late yesterday, then working its way through Asia and Europe today, he said,’ Roberts reports. “F-Secure Corp. in Helsinki estimates that about 100,000 computers have been infected with Mydoom so far, said Mikko Hypponen, manager of antivirus research at F-Secure.”

Full article here.