The virus is now spreading rapidly around the world via e-mail messages. Cases of the virus infecting computers in Japan and the United States have already been reported, Micro was cited as saying.

The virus, also known as "Anna Kournikova," is meant to challenge the famous "I Love You" virus that caused a major computer and software disaster last May, Micro noted.

The new virus, programmed by VB Script, is spread via an e-mail, titled "Here you have" when it arrives at a computer user's inbox, with attachments. The computer is attacked when the user downloads the attachment file, while the virus is passed on to other computer users by automatically being sent to e-mail addresses in the user's address folder, Micro said.

Computers infected by the virus January 26 were also connected by the virus to the website www.dynabyte.nl., he added.

Micro called on any individuals or companies receiving an e-mail titled "Here you have" to immediately delete the message.