SAN JOSE, February 1, 1999 -- Data Fellows, the global leader in anti-virus and encryption software, announces the availability of a free update to halt the spread of the Happy99.exe computer worm, which has already infected computer networks across Europe and is believed to have arrived in North America.

Happy99.exe was first identified approximately around mid-January and is now traveling across the Internet via e-mail attachments and newsgroup postings. The worm modifies e-mails and newsgroup postings by adding unauthorized attachments without the computer user's knowledge. As a side-effect, it can also create network slowdowns and, in a worst-case scenario, even crash corporate e-mail servers. While the computer worm does not destroy or alter files or otherwise cripple computers and networks, it creates a time- and energy-consuming nuisance to network administrators. The computer worm works on Windows 95 and 98 platforms.

Data Fellows has released an update that detects and removes the worm. The worm is detected as "I-Worm.Happy" by the Data Fellows F-Secure Anti-Virus product. The product and update are available for free download at the company's web site, http://www.F-Secure.com/

Happy99.exe is classified as a computer worm for its ability for self-replication. It arrives to a computer via an e-mail or newsgroup attachment, infecting machines that run the attachment. If the computer user runs the unauthorized attachment, Happy99.exe puts up an attractive fireworks display, which the computer user might mistake for a good-looking accessory to the message.

However, while the fireworks burst on-screen, the computer worm modifies the winsock32.dll file in order to monitor what e-mails and postings are made from the machine. All Internet access goes through the wsock32.dll file. Afterwards, Happy99.exe spams the newsgroup or e-mail recipient with copies of itself any time the computer user tries to send a message across cyberspace.

Data Fellows is one of the world's leading developers of data security products. The company develops, markets and supports anti-virus, data security and cryptography software products for corporate computer networks. It has corporate headquarters in San Jose, California and Espoo, Finland, with corporate offices as well as partners, VARs and other distributors in over 80 countries around the world.