GFI's Mail Essentials can block new SouthPark Virus

London, UK, 11 May 2000 - GFI, leading developer of email security & anti-virus software, announced that the new computer SouthPark virus that appeared today can be blocked at server level by Mail essentials, GFI's email security, content checking and anti-virus gateway.

"Unlike the VB-script-based Love Bug virus which appeared last week, this virus is an executable file, which ends in .exe," explained Nick Galea, CEO of GFI. "Executables are likely to be familiar among many computer users as it seen on games, Office and applications. Mail essentials automatically quarantines executables as they can be dangerous, as is the case with the new SouthPark virus."

Mr. Galea warned that the best way to counteract this new email threat is to block all .exe files at server level.

"A traditional anti-virus engine is not enough to combat viruses like the SouthPark worm and variants of it. Anti-virus engines tackle a virus once it has been discovered, and mostly at end-user level. However, Mail essentials quarantines all suspicious emails before they reach the user. Because of this, it also protects against future viruses and one-off viruses. In this way, Mail essentials functions like an email firewall."

The SouthPark virus is transmitted via an email in German, with a subject line saying "Servus Alter!" (or "Hey Dude!", based on the notorious SouthPark TV series). The email message invites the recipient to play the attached game, SouthPark.exe. Opening this activates the SouthPark virus, which propagates by sending itself to every email address book entry. It can therefore clog email servers, as the Melissa virus had done last year.

Mail essentials is a comprehensive email content security & anti-virus gateway that offers the following features:

• Content checking/filtering.
• Prevention of confidential info leaks.
• Virus checking of all email.
• Advanced anti-spam measures.
• Disclaimers: Enables you to add a disclaimer to each outgoing mail.
• Email management: Reports, archiving of all email, POP3 downloading & Server-based auto replies.

More information can be found at http://www.gfi.com/me/index.html. The full version of Mail essentials is available from $295.