'Nyxem’ computer virus fails to hit RP

‘On the day it was supposed to strike, the highly touted file-destroying “Nyxem" computer virus may have failed to wreak much damage in the Philippines after all. In its monitoring of the virus, Finland-based computer security firm F-Secure rated the “Nyxem" situation in the Philippines as “Quiet" in its world map. The map showed that from Feb. 1 to 6, virus activity monitored in the Philippines rated between “Quiet" and “Low," the two lowest levels in a five-grade scale that also included “medium," “high," and “epidemic" levels. From Feb. 1 to 6, there was no data on virus activity last weekend. On the other hand, F-Secure said Nyxem ranked second to the last in a list of eight computer threats, accounting for only 3.5 % of viruses monitored this month. The other viruses monitored so far this month included JS/Objcode.N@expl (37%); VBS/Redlof.S (9.1%); Email-worm.Win32.Netsky.D (8.7%); Netsky.P (7.8%); Netsky.Q and Doombot.B (6.5% each); and Small.Cy (3.0%). In contrast, UK-based Network Box Security Response said last Friday that the Philippines was among the top 10 countries in terms of infected computers it has monitored. As of last Friday, it said India ranked first with 37%; Malaysia second with 23%; Indonesia third with 9%; Thailand with 5%; Philippines with 4%; United Arab Emirates with 3%; Singapore with 3%; US with 2%; Peru with 2%; and Sri Lanka with 1%. Network Box added that the Nyxem virus could overload email systems and Internet links in countries with slower Internet links “such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, India, etc." But initial reports this week showed the damage from “Nyxem" had been light. Computer security firms have warned about the virus since Jan. 16, when they first spotted it. “Nyxem" infects computers running Microsoft Windows, and was to delete several file types starting last Feb. 3. But computer experts speculate that the publicity on the virus may have prompted people to clean up their computers with anti-virus measures. -GMANEWS.TV