There is another kind of nasty that someone can do to you. They can send you an infected file such as a virus.

That can cause damage to your computer - to the extent that your computer needs to have everything reinstalled on it, and you lose every piece of information you have collected. It does not need to happen though.

The person sending it may not even realise they are sending you an infected file - because they have the infection themselves, which only shows up to other people. Like the "love-bug" which sends itself to everyone on your email list, there are chat viruses, called "backdoor" viruses, that your chat program will send to everybody on every channel you are on, if you are infected.

There is one way round that problem. Don't ever accept any file anyone sends you! You and your computer's integrity will be quite safe then :)

But what if you already are infected?

There are programs you can download from the web that can fix your problem.

Ask your computer dealer, your service provider... ask online in channels such as #irchelp, #backorifice, #help.

Even ask in your regular channel, but please expect that one of the ops may kick you out if you are trying to send infected stuff.

There is a link at the bottom to a website which specialises in "Trojan Horse" type virus infections. The product is called "Cleaner" which you can use free for 30 days; after that you have to buy it. There are some other links about Virus Protection as well.

Indeed the hybris virus which says its being sent to you from someone called hahaha@sexyfun.net is not actually coming from there, because it is being sent to you by someone who you know, who has your email address in their address book. The virus is pretending it is coming from that address. So we have included a link to a website specially set up at that address - just to help people who have that virus

It is a well known fact that most virus infections happen because someone opens a file that looks as though it contains free pornography.

If you use the Eudora email program you may like to check a link at the bottom of the page about how to set it up to ignore senders of virus and spam material. The "sexyfun" site has a large section which shows how to set up many different email programs (including Eudora) to block those emails.