The self-propagating virus, called W97M.Prilissa.A, infects Word 97 documents and spreads itself by sending the infected document as an e-mail attachment using MS Outlook to the first 50 addresses in each address book.

The subject line reads "Message From (username)." The text in the body of the message reads, "This document is very important and you've GOT to read this". When the infected document is opened, the virus disables virus protection security settings, conversion confirmation and recently opened file list.

"On December 25, the following text will be displayed in a message box: Vine...Vide...Vice...Moslem Power Never End...You Dare Rise Against Me...The Human Era is Over, The CyberNet Era Has Come!!! It then overlays several colored shapes ontothe opened document. It then overwrites the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to format the C: drive and display the following text when the system is rebooted: "Vine...Vide...Vice...Moslem Power Never End...Your Computer Have Just Been Terminated By -= CyberNET =-Virus!!" a Symantec release said.

The firm said users of Norton AntiVirus would be automatically protected against the virus. Norton AntiVirus customers can download the current virus definition set, which includes a cure for the W97M.Prilissa.A virus, from www.symantec.com/avcenter/download.html.

Symantec Corporation recently opened its office in India and appointed Joy Ghosh as country manager.