DON'T panic. This was the advice given by an antivirus expert during his recent Manila visit to counter claims that the world will see an outbreak of Y2K viruses as the new millennium approaches.

"There is unfortunately a lot of scare-mongering going on, but our tack always has been to look at the facts and respond in a cool and calm manner. You should react to these reports just as you would to other instances of scare-mongering," said Dr. Jan Hruska, technical director of UK-based antivirus solutions provider Sophos Plc.

These Y2K viruses supposedly trigger effects similar to glitches caused by non-Year 2000 compliant systems. Network Associates Inc. of McAfee antivirus tools fame has been one of the most vocal in warning about the supposed Y2K virus threat. NAI's online AVERT (Anti-Virus Emergency Response Team) Y2K Resource Center at www.nai.com/asp_set/anti_virus/avert/y2k_intro.asp contains extensive information about Y2K viruses and the types that have been identified so far.

"While much attention has been placed on the inevitability of Y2K system failures, very little attention has been placed on the possibility of new viruses and malicious code attacks. Virus writers may be scheming to wreak havoc during Y2K by creating viruses that will strike at the new millennium, sending network administrators on a wild goose chase, searching for what appears to be a system failure," AVERT claimed.

Among the Y2K-related viruses that AVERT researchers have identified are W97M/MMKV.A, W32/Fix, Count2K and W97M/Chantal. While these viruses have some references to Y2K, AVERT admitted that they are not serious threats at the moment. In its Y2K FAQs, however, AVERT emphasized that "the AVERT Y2K Virus Resource Center website will be updated daily with ANY changes AVERT has discovered."

Hruska, however, said that computer users should react to what he said are exaggerated claims about Y2K viruses as they would to fears about plane crashes. While people might be afraid to get on a plane because of the number of crashes, objectively the risks are small compared to the number of successful flights, he pointed out.

"Network Associates and Symantec (maker of Norton antivirus tools) have been talking about as much as 200,000 new viruses. For us at Sophos, Jan. 1, 2000 is just another day when it comes to viruses. We don't anticipate many problems, maybe just a lot of chain e-mail with virus hoaxes and that sort of childishness. Maybe some virus makers would see the Y2K rollover as an opportunity to release new viruses, but certainly not in the numbers that our competitors are claiming," he said.

The disagreement among antivirus companies on the extent of the Y2K virus problem can be seen on the Virus Bulletin homepage at www.virusbtn.com. The site contains a Portable Document Format copy of the "Millennium Madness: Viruses and Y2K" paper from the recently held VB Conference '99.

Sophos also has a "Is there a Y2K virus problem?" white paper at www.sophos.com/virusinfo/whitepapers/Y2K.html that aims to shed light on the Y2K virus issue.

"Viruses will be written with Y2K-related payloads, but they are no more likely to become widespread than any other viruses. Viruses require people to help them spread, such as opening an infected e-mail attachment or running an infected program. It is possible that virus writers will exploit the Y2K celebrations in an attempt to spread the virus further. But none of these viruses will pose any greater challenge to anti-virus companies than the viruses we see on all the other days. As far as anti-virus security is concerned, Jan. 1, 2000 will be just another day," the paper concluded.

Hruska agreed that the onset of the Y2K virus scare is somewhat similar to the dire predictions of doomsayers on the Y2K bug's effect.

"It is somewhat similar to the Y2K bug without being identical. With viruses, it's an ongoing problem. It's a question of not being scared because you know what it is and you know that you have a solution. The fact is, you shouldn't panic," he said.