Tuesday, March 30, 1999 The University Daily Kansan Section A·Page 3 KU spared from effects of latest computer virus By Jennifer Roush jroush @ kanson.com Kansas staff writer A cleverly disguised e-mail virus found its way into hundreds of corporate computer systems across the country, but probably won't pose a threat to computers at the University of Kansas. Systems nationwide crashed or were overloaded yesterday by the "Melissa" computer virus, said Jeff Carpenter, a team leader for the Computer Emergency Response Team at Carnegie Mellon University. Melissa-infected e-mails include the subject line "Important message from " where is the e-mail address of the sender. The body of the message says "Here is that document you asked for...don't show it to anyone else. ;-)" and contains an attachment that will open in Microsoft Word 97 or Word 2000. Once a user opens the attachment, a macro — or script for automating tasks in the creation of Word documents — opens Microsoft's Outlook email program and sends a document to the first 50 people in the user's address book. The user's computer is then infected, and all new documents created in Word will contain the virus. Also, every time the user opens a Word document that document, and any potentially sensitive material it may contain is sent to the first 50 people in the user's Outlook address book. CERT said that based on THE "MELISSA" VIRUS - Virus contains subject line of "Important Message From ", where is sender's e-mail address. - "Melissa" virus message has a Word document as an attachment Body of the message reads "Here is that document you asked for...don't show it to anyone else.";-I The virus can only infect computers with Microsoft Word 97 or Word 2000 and only if the user opens the attachment to the infected e-mail. ■ Microsoft has a patch available at www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/ms99-002.asp. Detailed information about the virus and anti-virus programs can be found at www.cert.org/advisories/CA-99-04-Melissa-MacroVirus.html. reports they had received at their Web site, more than 100,000 computers had been infected by yesterday morning. Some of the companies affected by the virus were DuPont, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, Inc. and Compaq Computer Corp. Eric Lundquist, editor-in-chief of PC Week magazine, said that while the method of transmission isn't new, it is more cunning than other viruses. "The reason this is spreading so rapidly is that you're getting it from people you know and you trust," Lundquist said. "You should never open documents or attachments from people you don't know, but this is the first one where you need to be careful of opening documents from people you do know." Lundquist also said that Microsoft Office, which contains the Word program, is used in about 90 percent of corporations. Mickey Waxman, statistics consultant/programmer at KU Academic Computing Services, said that companies that have locked themselves into using just one piece of software for email are most vulnerable, he said. Waxman also said that he didn't think the virus would adversely affect computers at the University of Kansas. "I don't think KU people will have much of a problem," he said. The virus spreads best in corporate environments where every employee uses the same word processing and e-mail software. He said that users were most at risk with personal computers, rather than computers in the University's labs. Each computer's hard drive is purged every week, he said, and none of the computers have address books for specific users. Julie Loats, KU Web administrator, said that a service alert had been posted to KUfacts, which would link users directly to ACS' Web site. From there, users can find information on how to download an updated version of Command Anti-virus, the University's licensed antivirus software. - The Associated Press contributed to this story. Edited by Melody Ard Events to explore influence of Latin American culture By Jamie Knodel jknodek@kansan.com Kansas staff writer Latin American Solidarity will sponsor a week-long program to celebrate and explore the culture of countries that continue to shape U.S. culture. Some students believe that Latin Americans have a growing influence on the culture of the United States. "The United States is becoming Latinized and the pervasiveness of Latin American cultures is more evident than ever," said Megan Hope, president of Latin American Solidarity and Garden City graduate student. Hope said that in the past the group had sponsored programs that focused only on Central America but that this was the first year it had extended the week to include all Latin American areas. "We wanted to recognize areas that have not historically been categorized as part of Latin America," she said. 1999 LATIN AMERICA WEEK: Hope said Latin America also included areas lying on the U.S. and Mexican border. Part of the week's program will include a forum to discuss globalization and immigration on the border. The discussion will address economics in the border region and how free trade has affected the people who reside there. Hope said that she would discuss migration trends from NEIGHBORS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH Today Informational table at the Kansas Union Thursday ■ Forum: The Border and Beyond, 7 p.m. at the Kansas Room in the Kansas Union Wednesday Informational table at Wescoe Rench Informational table at Wescoe Beach Friday Play: Vampiros, 8 p.m. in 100 Smith Hall Presentation: The Struggle of Latin American Women, 4 p.m. at the Pioneer Room in the Burge Union Informational table at The Dusty Bookshelf, 708 Massachusetts St. Discussion: Remembering P. A. bishop Romero, 7 p.m. at The Dusty Bookshelf Mexico into the United States. She said that the U.S. immigration policies toward Latin American immigrants had shifted throughout history to meet the economic needs of the United States. "It is ironic that with free trade the border has been open to the movement of money but has been closed to the movement of people," she said. The discussion on the border region will be held at 7 tonight at the Kansas room in the Kansas Union. Vampiros, a play by Tomas Chacon, Mexico graduate student, will premiere at 8 p.m. Wednesday in 100 Smith Hall. The play is a social commentary on the problems facing modern Latin America. Chacon said the play addressed issues, including corruption, lies and governmental abuse that were constant problems facing citizens in those countries. "The inspiration for the play came from the injustice in the people of Latin America," he said. Women's struggles also will be addressed during the week. Hope said that Central American author and women's rights activist Eugenia Rodriguez would speak about the issues that Latin American women faced. Coinciding with the 19th anniversary of a former El Salvadorian archbishop's assassination, a discussion on Oscar Romero will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at The Dusty Bookshelf, 708 Massachusetts St. "He was an influential leader who stood for peace and spoke on behalf of the poor," Hope said. Corbin event to aid cancer group — Edited by Darrin Peschka By Jamie Knodel jknodel@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Corbin Hall, with the help of popular television show host Rosie O'Donnell, is trying to raise awareness about the risk that breast cancer poses for college-aged women. A program to educate women about the disease will begin at 7 tonight at the Corbin Hall lobby. "The program is about letting people know that you don't have to be 40 years old to get breast cancer," Karnes said. students. Kelly Jo Karnes, Corbin Hall Assistant Complex Director, said that the program would include a testimonial of a breast cancer survivor, Amy Laughlin, who suffered from the disease in her 20s. Laughlin, Lawrence resident, said that she was excited for the opportunity to share her experience with She also said that what students were doing to their bodies now, such as drinking and smoking, could put them at risk for the disease. "They don't think that these things will catch up with them as soon as they do," Laughlin said. "But what they are doing to their bodies will catch up with them." Karnes said that she expected this program to be successful because prizes associated with O'Donnell and her television show would be awarded throughout the program. The prizes include movies, books and CDs that O'Donnell is associated with and airline vouchers. A T-shirt autographed by O'Donnell will be given away at the conclusion of the program. Raffle tickets can be purchased tonight for chances to win the T-shirt. Karnes said that all of the proceeds raised from the raffle would be donated to Breast Cancer Awareness-Douglas County, a local support group for breast cancer patients. This is the last program that GSP-Corbin employees and residents will sponsor for Women's History Month. Other programs the halls have been involved with include the purple ribbon campaign that recognized female role models and a discussion on how to be a successful career woman. Karnes said that the programs were important because they helped to educate women on how to take care of themselves without having to rely on others. "The motivation behind the programs is to make sure that residents think of themselves as women and for them to realize the types of issues women face," Karnes said. Edited by Chris Fickett One-man stand Leonard Magruder, left, explains a handout to Alex Richard, Vienna, Va., sophomore, that protests the University of Kansas' diversity proposal. Magruder, the founder and director of Vietnam Veterans for Academic Reform, staged a one-man protest in front of the Kansas Union yesterday afternoon. The group protests the diversity proposal, saying it is "oppressive in nature and primarily supported by left/libers in the social sciences." The group believes the policy would force students to take unnecessary classes that force liberal ideas on students. Photo by Matt J. Daugherty/KANSAN MASTERCRAFT APARTMENTS OPEN HOUSE Saturday, April 3th -- 10 am-4 pm CAMPUS PLACE 1145 Louisiana 841-1429 ORCHARD CORNERS 15th & Kasold 749-4226 19th & Mass. 749-0445 REGENTS COURT studios, 1 bedroom HANOVER PLACE 2,3&4 bedrooms 14th & Mass. 841-1212 close to campus furnished or unfurnished SUNDANCE 7th & Florida 841-5255 energy efficient private parking TANGLEWOOD 10th & Arkansas 749-2415 - laundry facilities* - swimming pool* - microwaves* - on KU bus route* - professionally managed - locally owned MODELS OPEN DAILY MODEL OPEN DAYS MON-FRI 9 AM - 5PM SAT 10AM - 4PM SUN 1PM - 4PM MASTERCRAFT MANAGEMENT 842-4455 - available at some locations EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY