Computing & Information Services advises that e-mail continues to be slow due to problems created yesterday by the “Goner” virus.

CIS virus expert Otto Geiss said the McMail system was down for part of yesterday as the virus created a backlog of about 2,000 messages in the mail queue.

CIS manager Barb Campbell urges all University computer users to be vigilant before opening “unexpected” e-mail containing attachments.

“We were flooded within minutes,” Campbell said. “This is totally a result of people opening unexpected attachments. It's really frustrating for us.”

CIS deployed five people and called in one employee from vacation to help people deal with their computer problems.

For information on the virus, go to:

• CIS Virus Information Web site at http://www.mcmaster.ca/cis/virus/
• Symantec Web site at http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.goner.a@mm.html
• Command Web site at http://www.commandsoftware.com/virus/goner.html.

If you suspect you have the virus, disconnect the Ethernet cable and contact CIS at ext. 24357.

The infected e-mail, which should be deleted, will have an attachment named “gone.scr”.

The e-mail subject line is “Hi” and the body of the message reads: “How are you? When I saw this screen saver, I immediately thought about you.
I am in a harry, I promise you will love it!”