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Starting tomorrow the BlackMal virus will start deleting files from infected computers. Usually when I am in need of security related information I check Security Focus first. Here is what they have to say about BlackMal:

The virus is programmed to start deleting eleven different types of files on the third of each month, starting with Friday, February 3. The files will be deleted from a computer's local hard drive as well as network-attached storage, a strategy that worried security experts enough to warn about the virus.

[snip]

"We have two people who have contacted us and we have double-checked files from their systems," F-Secure's Hyppönen said. "One (victim's machine) had write access to most to his company's network and the virus had deleted most of the company's data."

It is a good idea to read the whole article. They have also provided a BlackMal removal tool for those that are infected. If this virus starts deleting files there will be no getting them back.