KUALA LUMPUR: Antivirus software company Sophos (http://www.sophos.com) is urging computer users to be extra vigilant against virus threats as excitement surrounding the World Cup competition reaches fever pitch.

The world's most popular sporting event is due to kick off May 31 in Seoul, South Korea.

According to Sophos, seemingly harmless World Cup screensavers, spreadsheets and electronic wall charts could provide the ideal vehicles for virus and worm propagation.

"Our advice to all PC users is not to open unsolicited e-mail, download material from the Internet or use anything on their computer which is not known to be virus-free," said Charles Cousins, managing director at Sophos Anti-Virus Asia.

Millions of people worldwide will be following the World Cup and will be using the Internet and e-mail to keep up to date with all the action, the company noted in a press statement.

"We have already seen viruses utilising the popularity of celebrities like Anna Kournikova and Britney Spears; David Beckham or Michael Owen could be next.

"Amidst the enthusiasm for the competition, it's important that users maintain a solid defence," said Cousins.

The World Cup has provided inspiration for viruses in the past, and the possibility of it happening again should not be ruled out, he added.

In 1998, in the run-up to the World cup competition in France, the WM97/ZMK-J virus asked infected victims to gamble on who the winner might be, and if the user did not choose the right team, triggered a warhead which was capable of wiping all the data off the hard drive.

Sophos' message to computer users is to remain "as vigilant as England's defence in the 1966 World Cup Final" - the company is British after all - in order to prevent virus writers from scoring virtual goals.