'Love Bug' virus infects four classified DoD networks

The Defense Department reported Friday that four classified networks were infected with the "love bug" virus.

Initially, the department reported that no classified systems had been infected with the virus. Later, DoD reported that only two systems had been hit. The Pentagon quickly revised that number to four.

The contaminated computers at one unnamed DoD agency were quickly quarantined on Thursday, said Kenneth Bacon, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.

"According to the agency, the virus contaminated less than 1 percent of that network. Technicians isolated that system in order to clean it of the virus," Bacon said. "The agency says that the incident had no impact on its mission."

Another classified system was hit Friday. The infection was "quickly detected and contained," Bacon said.

"The Joint Task Force on Computer Network Defense is investigating how the virus entered the classified systems," Bacon said.

DoD was saved from widespread damage among classified systems due to the safeguards included in classified networks, Bacon said.

The Joint Task Force on Computer Network Defense said that is was not aware of any military operations being affected by the viral outbreak.

The Central Intelligence Agency reported Thursday that while a few incidents occurred and were handled on its unclassified systems, the virus did not affect the agency's classified systems.