IT security experts say some of the most deadly Internet viruses use Christmas and New Year celebrations to make their presence felt in cyberspace as more and more people send and receive mails and cards through the Internet.

Scores of companies and home Internet users fall prey to damaging viruses towards the yearend, resulting in financial setback as well as loss of valuable information stored in the IT network.

"The yearend period is the time for corporates and home computer users to be especially vigilant in preventing viruses," said Shams Islam, an IT security consultant with Trend Micro.  

Trend Micro is a global leader in providing anti-virus and content security software and services.

Its solutions protect the flow of information on personal computers, file servers, email servers and at the Internet gateway, providing a virus wall for enterprise networks.

"Since mail flow increases significantly during Christmas and New Year not only in India but all across the world, virus attackers find it a great opportunity to let loose in cyberspace," Islam told IANS.

"Though there isn't any specific information about virus attacks in the days ahead at this point of time, computer users should be on full alert and leave nothing to chance." 

Islam said Internet users must be very cautious in accepting mails from unknown sources, especially if the mail comes with an attachment.

Experts say viruses are set off in the form of e-mails with catchy subject lines such as "Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year" or "Christmas Gift For U" or any phrase that has the word Christmas or New Year in it.

The mass-mailing virus can originate from within India or abroad and can leave a devastating trail, particularly in the financial and technology sectors that have extensive IT networks across the country.

IT security analysts say the new-age viruses can be more menacing, opening up personal computers to hackers and exposing sensitive data, financial records and personal information.

These viruses can also delete files, significantly slow down the speed of the processor, alter programmes, write incorrect information into files, and even erase the entire hard disk.

"Most of the viruses these days also remove anti-virus programmes installed on one's computer so one won't even get to know that the virus is there," said an information security official of a local IT services firm.

"Then these viruses will do all sorts of nasty things like mailing out your address book so that your friends and business associates will also get affected," he added.

IT experts suggest that all companies and organisations teach employees safe computing practices and to be suspicious of any unsolicited e-mail attachments as part of basic cyber security training.

"The possibility of a virus attack can be reduced to a great extent by not running or opening unsolicited mails and virus-scanning anything that runs in the company," said Islam.

According to a research firm, computer viruses cause millions of rupees worth of damage to computer systems in India every year.

Internet penetration in India has grown from a base of just four million users in 1998 to over 25 million now and studies show most Internet usage takes place in offices.

--Indo-Asian News Service