An e-mail offering a video of the lunar eclipse instead delivered a virus to the state computer system and sent officials scrambling to protect against the release of sensitive information.

Mike Lettman, director of information security for the Division of Enterprise Technology, said the e-mail went Thursday to about one-tenth of the state work force, or some 4,000 employees, with the invitation to view the video.

But when employees clicked on the link, it activated the virus that downloaded software that attempts to steal information, mainly e-mail addresses, he said.

"It was trying to use our PCs as e-mail senders," Lettman said.

As of Thursday afternoon, there had been no sensitive information compromised and systems were in place to monitor the affected computers, Lettman said.