consequences of a computer virus attack, but in a press release yesterday stressed that other businesses are at risk.

Mr. David Mutch, a partner at Deloitte & Touche said: "The firm is experiencing more threats to the integrity of its computer systems than ever before''.

A computer virus is defined as a programme that is written to damage disks, programmes and data of the computer on which it is executed, and to make copies of itself, and to place them on any diskettes inserted into the computer, and to other computers to which it can attach, such as via a PC network.

Recently, a laptop computer was brought into Deloitte & Touche's offices. As the firm has a policy requiring all PCs be scanned for viruses before being connected to its network, several viruses were picked up.

But, they could have infected their network servers and workstations.

"Fortunately, there are procedures and proprietary software, which if used consistently can minimise the exposure to these crippling information systems viruses,'' said Mr. Mutch.

Last week, a visitor to Deloitte & Touche requested use of a computer to transfer some Wordperfect documents from diskettes. The screening procedure revealed that six of the eight diskettes were infected with the Forms virus, which could have eventually infected the entire PC network.

Mr. Mutch stressed the need to frequently check that all preventative and detective procedures are in place.

"Bermuda's credibility as an international business centre is known to be vulnerable from a number of obvious standpoints,'' said Mr. Mutch. "However, computer viruses represent a threat which is not so obvious, and which could nonetheless impair any business community where there is ever increasing data exchange.'' *** Law firm Conyers, Dill & Pearman has recently had a Hewlett-Packard 9000 Series Business Server installed by Applied Computer Technologies. The law firm will be using an accounting and time billing application from Los Angeles-based Elite Software.

The new computer system is an "Open Systems'' computer which allows users to take an application and transfer it to another piece of hardware.