Businesses facing huge losses over email virus

IRISH businesses are facing losses running into millions of euro as a computer virus brings internet communications to a standstill.

Computer security experts around the world were working around the clock last night to try to track the source of the Sobig.F email virus, which was threatening to unleash a further barrage of junk mail after a week of chaos across the globe.

A message traced to the virus writers indicated a surge of activity would take place last night and again on Sunday with the threat of multiplying the estimated 100 million unwanted emails already generated this week.