
With the clock ticking on a Feb. 3 D-Day for the activation of the destructive "Blackworm" worm payload, anti-virus vendors are rushing to release <A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1918401,00.asp">free removal tools</A> to help contain the damage. The worm, also known as Kama Sutra, MyWife.E or Nyxem.E, uses the lure of sexually explicit photographs to trick email users into executing an attachment that contains a payload capable of permanently corrupting a number of common document format files. Microsoft has already issued an advisory with pointers to its Windows Live Safety Center, which offers a free scanner that detects and removes the worm.