Yet another virus is threatening computer-users, but it's not another Visual Basic virus. The Killer Resume virus (aka W97M/Melissa) is a macro virus concealed in a Microsoft Word document attached to an email supposedly from a job seeker. A macro is a program that, when created, allows users to automate or simplify tasks. When this Word document attachment is opened, this macro virus emails itself to everyone in the Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express address book.

Killer Resume doesn't stop there, however. When the document is closed, the trojan virus activates, systematically deleting files from local drives, starting in the C: drive (all files in C:\, then C:\My Documents, then C:\Windows\, then C:\Windows\System, then C:\Winnt, then C:\Winnt\System32). Killer Resume then progresses through each existing drive (in alphabetical order), deleting all files in the main directory of each. This destruction of system files may cause your computer system to become inoperable.

Here we've detailed the characteristics of the host email. You can utilize this information to set your Outlook and Outlook Express message filters to automatically delete this infected email should you receive it.

• The subject of the email is "Resume - Janet Simons."
• The infected attachment will be named "Explorer.doc." Other reported names for the attachment are "Resume1.doc" and "Normal.dot."
• The text in the body of the email is

  To: Director of Sales/Marketing,

  Attached is my resume with a list of references contained within. Please feel free to call or email me if you have any further questions regarding my experience. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

  Sincerely,

  Janet Simons.