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The federal government failed to promptly detect the devastating "Love Bug" virus and warn federal agencies, resulting in substantial damage to their computer systems and files, congressional investigators testified on May 18^th. The Pentagon considered calling up reservists to help contain the virus, and the Department of Health and Human Services was rendered incapable of dealing with a potential biological disaster, the investigators found in a review of 20 agencies. The government "was not effective at detecting this virus early on and warning agencies about the imminent threat. Consequently, most agencies were affected," Jack L. Brock Jr., an expert on information systems at the General Accounting Office, told a Senate subcommittee.

The "ILOVEYOU" virus crippled e-mail systems worldwide. When it struck May 4, the warning to agencies by the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center came only at 11 a.m., hours after many agencies were hit, Brock testified. Advice on dealing with the virus wasn't posted until 10 p.m., he said. The virus "demonstrates several weaknesses in our government's ability to detect and respond to fast-moving cyber-events in a coordinated and efficient manner," said Sen. Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah), chairman of the Senate banking subcommittee on financial institutions.

Brock and Keith Rhodes, director of computer and technology assessment at GAO, provided a snapshot of the impact:

• HHS, which was flooded with about 3 million bogus messages, had e-mail system disruptions lasting as long as six days in some divisions. An official told GAO if a biological disaster had occurred, the "health and stability of the nation would have been compromised."
• At the Pentagon, military personnel were pulled from their regular duties to help contain the virus.
• At least 1,000 computer files were damaged at NASA.
• The Social Security Administration needed five days to become fully functional.

Starting in Hong Kong, the virus caused a flood of e-mails with the subject line "ILOVEYOU" to worm into computer systems. When opened, the virus destroyed graphics and other files.

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