What is it?
SirCam, also known as the "How Are You" virus, arrives on your computer as an attachment to an email.  It's actually classified as a "worm," which means that it is a self-contained computer program that doesn't depend on any other programs in the computer to do its thing.  It affects computers running Microsoft Windows.

What does the SirCam virus do?
It randomly selects files from the "My Documents" folder and begins emailing them as attachments to people in your address book and any email address it finds among your temporary (cached) Internet files.  Each of the attachments it sends is infected with the virus so anyone who opens the attachments becomes infected as well.

This virus includes it's own email program so it sends the messages to other computers without any evidence of it in your email software.

Additionally, there are reports that the virus may be programmed to delete files on your computer on October 16, 2001

How do I know if I have it? 
The most reliable way is to check for the presence of the files that the virus has installed.

If there is a file named SCam32.exe in your Windows system directory, you've got the virus.

If there is a file named SCam32.exe in your recycle bin, you've got the virus.

If there is a file named RUN32.exe in your Windows directory, you've got the virus.

Everybody Should Check For The Virus
TruthOrFiction.com is recommending that readers should check each of their computers for the virus.  It has affected hundreds of thousands of computers and many computer owners don't realize it is there.  Not only can it create embarrassment because of sending your personal files to other people, it could wipe out all of the files on your computer later this year.

We've received several emails from readers whose virus protection software didn't find the virus even though the computer had been protected.

How it Arrives
You won't see the name "sircam" if you receive the virus, however.  The virus will send you a email from someone who has your email address in their computer.  If you open the attachment, you'll get the virus.  If you don't open the attachment, you're okay.  The wording in the subject line will vary, but there will be an attachment and the body of the message may say something like:

Hi! How are you?

...I send you this file in order to have your advice.
                          or
...I hope you can help me with this file that I send.
                          or
... I hope you like the file that I send to you.
                          or
...This is the file with the information that you ask for  See you later. Thanks.

There are also Spanish versions of the virus.

How do I clean the virus from my computer?

If you have virus protection software, make sure the virus definitions are up to date and use the procedure the software recommends for searching your computer and ridding it of viruses.

If you don't have virus protection software, TruthOrFiction.com strongly recommends that you get it and then use it to clean your computer.  

Don't merely delete the files that are described above.  There is more to cleaning the virus than just deleting the files.