I made a big boo-boo at work yesterday

[many a good man]

I saw an email pop up from a Raymond somebody-or-other with a document attached that I was waiting for. I thought it was from a guy named Raymond something-else who promised to forward a doc to me from a hardware vendor.

I unzipped the pdf and all of a sudden, dozens and dozens of emails began to be sent from my Outlook mailbox, directed to all the people in my address book. Within seconds I began receiving hundreds of emails from people with the same subject line as the one I unintentionally sent out. Our network was instantly saturated with thousands of emails going back and forth, all because of me.

I have now learned that 200 workstations have been infected, including mine, and have to be wiped and re-imaged. No one has tagged me as the culprit, but I know I am the guilty party. I am so embarrassed and ashamed. Please don't tell anyone.

[carlyhippy]

1. That virus is all over the place, I heard about it on the radio this morning

you are among a large group of folks who did the exact same thing.

[Curmudgeoness]

2. That same thing happened where I worked a few years ago.

Sadly, they can know where it started, or at least they knew where I was. But then again, the woman who started it called IT right away. It isn't your fault, this happened innocently and it was something that you thought you were expecting. I hope it doesn't become a big deal for you.

[Hawkeye-X]

3. That's why you have to have an anti-virus software on your workstation

I'm surprised IT hasn't implemented a company-wide antivirus push from their servers to your clients and updated regularly.

Hawkeye-X

[many a good man]

4. We have Symantec Endpoint Protection

Daily updates... we haven't had a problem in years... until ME! I know I know better. Think I need a vacation!

[LiberalAndProud]

6. It's new. McAfee was still researching it this morning.

Most virus scanners don't yet detect the worm. This one even got NASA.

[rainbow4321]

5. You and a lot of other people

Our hospital got hit with it, as well as the medical school next to us. I had 60+ emails with the same heading from a shitload of people...some I knew, others I didn't.

If it makes you feel any better..an article I ready yesterday said that it also infected the NASA offices/computer so even the rocket scientists were spreading it.

[vixengrl]

7. I think I know the virus you mean--the IT at my work

sent out a thing about e-mails marked "Here it is" or the similar--so the Trojan in question looked very much like something you might have been expecting--

It's definitely a "bug that's going around."

[SwissTony]

8. Don't beat yourself up, MAGM

You are a victim, not a culprit.

When something like this happens, you should contact your IT people immediately. Let them take care of it. But you are not the culprit. You made an innocent mistake. I'm speaking from experience.