Websites warned over first hypertext virus, is it true?

HI all, i have an article from my friend where the subject is virus in php. My Question is, is't true ? if yes, how to anticipate it? the article: > This article from vnunet.com has been sent to you by jerry@laksamana.net > > who has added the following message: $#%@#^$& > > If you wish to go straight to the page from which this article was sent, > click here: http://www.vnunet.com/News/1116080 > > Websites warned over first hypertext virus > > A potential threat to ecommerce sites has been identified with the > discovery of the first virus using the hypertext preprocessor (PHP) > scripting language. > PHP is one of the most popular scripting > languages and is used to develop ecommerce sites and those with heavy > content. > Although the virus, which was discovered by antivirus > software and computer services company Central Command, does not carry > any immediate risks, the company warned that future versions could > have more damaging consequences. > Steven Sundermeier, product manager > at Central Command, said: "PHP.NewWorld is what we consider a > proof-of-concept virus. In fact, the only way your server gets > infected is if you manually insert the script into your site or access > it through the web server." > Although the virus is spread by > executing an infected script, Sundermeier does not believe that the > spreading method allows the virus to leave the infected machine. But > he warned that in future, the PHP script could be altered to trigger a > more dangerous virus. > The majority of websites that integrate user > interaction and personalisation rely on PHP, making them an appealing > target for virus writers. "Because the PHP language is absolutely > free, we are anticipating that copycats of this PHP script virus will > become prominent and will have much more damaging consequences in the > near future," said Sundermeier. > He added that while other antivirus > providers require users to download a large upgrade file or patch when > a malicious new virus emerges, the company's AntiVirus eXpert software > has been updated to spot and deal effectively with the new bug. > > Security policy management, real-time management of antivirus > software and support for TCP/IP and HTTP communications, JavaScript > and ActiveX technologies are also included. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > vnunet.com is the computing and IT web site with the broadest range of > content in this field of any UK site. Whether you're a beginner or an > expert, an enthusiast or a professional, vnunet.com has something for you. > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > http://www.vnunet.com - your computer connection > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > Thu Jan 11 01:49:42 GMT 2001 Best Regards -JUANG- http://www.infoasia.net http://www.skopeonet.com http://www.infoasiamall.com http://www.laksamana.net