Public immune to SARS-scare PC worm

A new mass-mailing computer virus, Coronex, tries to get PC users to infect their system by opening an e-mail attachment designed to take advantage of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) fears. The virus apparently falls flat. Symantec reports that its security group has received no submissions of the virus from its customers, and e-mail service provider MessageLabs rates the virus below its top 10 list of most intercepted e-mail threats.

The virus sends itself in an e-mail with one of the following subject lines: "SARS," "I need your help," "SARS Virus," "honk kong" or "deaths virus." The virus does little more than infect the PC and announce its presence in a dialog box.