'Love Bug' Bytes

By Stephen M. Silverman

09/22/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

A computer virus known as the "Love Bug," because its e-mail message header was ILOVEYOU, downed systems all over the world Thursday, including those at the Pentagon and the British Parliament. The crippling, self-duplicating bug cost institutions and corporations millions of dollars and the FBI is currently investigating who might have caused it. One lead might be traced to the Philippines, given that coding in the virus included the name of the country's capital, Manila, and the computer name "Spyder." Another phrase: "I hate to go to school." No Valentine, this.