New Computer Viruses Expected to Show Up in New Places in 2003

Computer users should brace for a new onslaught of viruses this year, especially worms deployed into instant messaging systems that allow users to chat quickly and cheaply across the Web, an anti-virus expert said. U.K.-based Sophos Plc, the fourth-largest anti-virus solutions provider, said it sees more viruses and their cousin, the self-propagating worm, infecting computers in 2003, but their occurrence was not expected to accelerate significantly.