Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2003/02/04/bbc_sends_archers_fans_computer/

BBC sends Archers fans computer virus

Dum di dum di dum di... doh!

By John Leyden

Posted in Security, 4th February 2003 17:06 GMT

Only a couple of weeks after its networks became infected with the ExploreZip virus, the BBC has managed to mail a copy of the Sobig worm to fans of the long-running Radio 4 show, The Archers.

The worm was "erroneously" sent to recipients of the Archer's mailing list last Wednesday night (January 29), according to a BBC spokeswoman.

It's unclear how many subscribers on the moderated list received the pathogen.

Protection for the Sobig virus (which normally appears to come from the email address big@boss.com) has been available since mid-January, so hopefully the impact of Aunty's latest computer virus blunder is minimal.

Nonetheless the corporation has apologised for the slip-up and promised an internal investigation into preventing a repetition of the gaffe.

Ironically, a current Archers storyline features Jolene showing silver-surfer Joe Grundy how to send emails in the new cybercafe set up in The Bull, Ambridge's local pub.(How did you know that, you sad man? - Ed) ®

For the benefit of our overseas readers, The Archers ("an everyday story of country folk") was first broadcast in 1951. The radio soap has been running ever since.
Other virus problems residents of Ambridge have faced in recent times.

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