Computers infected by the fast-spreading MyDoom e-mail virus will attempt to launch a distributed denial of service attack (DDoS) on the sco.com web site on Feb. 1, according to updated analyses by Symantec and F-Secure. Several hours after the virus began spreading at about 9 p.m. GMT, the SCO web site was offline briefly.

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The virus, also known W32.Novarg.A@mm or WORM_MIMAIL.R, masquerades as a returned e-mail and attempts to disguise an attachment as a text file, similar to ones that often accompany errant e-mails.