London, UK, 4 December 2000 - GFI, leading developer of email content checking & anti-virus gateway software, warns that the Matrix (or MTX) email virus is currently spreading fast. This harmful three-in-one virus, which contains virus installation, worm code and backdoor code components, can be blocked by Mail essentials, GFI's email content checking and anti-virus gateway.

"Despite advisories issued earlier this year, the Matrix virus is currently spreading at an alarming rate. If an organization has not installed server-based content checking and anti-virus gateway software, such as Mail essentials, this complex email virus can damage files beyond repair when activated," said Nick Galea, CEO of GFI.

The Matrix virus-worm spreads through email and prevents access to anti-virus sites. It also infects Win32 executable files. Once the Matrix virus is triggered by recipients who do not have adequate protection on their PCs, it releases a worm that emails itself out to all addressees that the infected user sends email to. The worm takes the form of an infected attachment that is either a .pif; .scr or .exe file and it can adopt one of over 30 file names. It also installs a backdoor component, or registry entry, on the PC.

"Mail essentials blocks this virus at server level. The Mail essentials anti-virus module prevents the virus from infecting the system while its content checking module can be set to block .pif; .scr or .exe attachments," Mr. Galea explained. "This way, Mail essentials will block all viruses of this kind, as it will quarantine any attachments in such formats. This means that Mail essentials will also catch any variants of the Matrix virus."

More information can be found at http://www.gfi.com/me/index.html. The full version of Mail essentials is available from $350.