Navidad & Hybris Are Low Threat - Sophos

Sophos has "called for calm" over Navidad and Hybris, two new viruses
that have been reported on over the last week.

In an advisory sent to customers late Wednesday, the antivirus firm
said that, provided PC users follow "safe computing" guidelines, the
risk from these two new viruses is relatively low.

This contrasts with a flurry of press announcements late last week
and over the weekend about Navidad, followed by a warning about
Hybris from several IT security firms on Monday.

Sophos said it decided to issue its advisory following media interest
this week in the new viruses, culminating in a decision by the US
Army to classify Hybris as "high risk."

After researching the bug, Sophos said that despite the two viruses
having spread across the US and South America, PC users practicing
safe computing or running up-to-date antivirus software should be
OK.

Graham Cluley, the firm's senior technology consultant, said that
no one in his/her right mind would open an unsolicited executable
file they received via e-mail.

"If users took on board this simple safe computing message then
viruses like Navidad and Hybrid would spread around about as well as
frozen butter," he said.

Sophos' Web site is at http://www.sophos.com.