SolveYourProblem
eLearning Series
Internet Security
How
To Identify a Computer Virus Hoax
One
way to check on a virus to see if it might be a hoax is
to check the following list. Popular virus hoaxes
include: Iraq war hoax, internet flower hoax, intel special
offer hoax, ICE virus mobile phone hoax, happy new year hoax,
guts to say Jesus hoax, great gas out hoax, got you hoax, good
times hoax, girls of Playboy Hoax, girl thing hoax, ghost exe
hoax, fun prog hoax, good times hoax, ghost exe hoax, Zlatko,
your friend D@fit, Y2Kgame, WTC survivor hoax, wobbler hoax,
work hoax, win a holiday hoax, Windows 98 warning hoax, welcome
to the matrix hoax, valentine greeting hoax, W32 torch hoax,
WASUP hoax, unable to deliver hoax, tax return hoax, Phantom
Menace hoax, pool party hoax, unable to deliver hoax, Irina
hoax, join the crew hoax, joke flipped hoax, and many others
There are many viruses out there on the Internet, but many
of them are not viruses, but are simply hoaxes. However, there
have been cases in the past of a hoax starting out harmless,
and then having a Trojan horse added to it, making many people
susceptible because what they thought was harmless is suddenly
quite harmful indeed. Never ever open an email attachment unless
you are sure of it and know who it came from. If an attachment
is suspicious, don’t open it.
There
are many computer virus hoaxes out there, some spread by
well meaning people. For instance, an automotive writer
responded to a letter about a supposed but non existent virus
in the onboard computer of Lexus automobiles with how frightening
the thought of one was to him, which spread across the Internet
and may have damaged sales of Lexus cars without good reason.
Another well known virus hoax that occurred recently and was
started by well meaning people was the sheep.exe hoax. Well
meaning people were warning others about the commercial program,
creating undue fear and a virus alert. Another false story
circulated that Blue Mountain greeting cards contained a virus,
and many people ceased to do business with this company based
on a hoax.
If worried about being deceived by a computer virus hoax,
here are a few tips to help you spot the hoaxes in
the future. First, did a real computer expert send you the alert; was it
your mother in law or your Brother Fred’s best friend? If it
looks like a hoax chain letter it probably is one. Next, does
it urge you to forward the chain letter to everyone you know?
If it does then chances are it is a hoax. Legitimate virus
alerts will not ask you to participate in mass chaos. Finally
does the email offer a details page link? If it is a real warning
it will summarize the information and link to a well respected
site for more details. Remember though that some hoaxsters
will include links to real websites trying to make you think
they are real. Check out the website by typing it into your
browser and if it seems to be a hoax, it probably is.
Many
people get duped by computer hoaxes, telling all of their
friends about these modern urban legends with great, but false
and misguided authority. Most duped users don’t want to admit
they were fooled. Remember, it takes a strong ego to admit
a mistake, so encourage your friends who were fooled to own
up to it. Their intentions were good. Give them a chance to
fess up and you’ll be amazed at how quickly many people will
try to make amends. So that you too don’t get caught in the
trap, don’t automatically assume that any email you receive
is accurate. Most people on the Internet receive chain letter
emails, and oddly enough many people send them on for fear
of harming a relationship with the person who sent it. Stopping
the chain and stopping the insanity is necessary. Hoaxes and
myths will continue if people continue to play the game and
send the chain letters along. Don’t be a link in the chain.
Finally, knowledge is the key to stopping hoaxes and myths.
Stay information. Don’t believe everything you read or hear
until you check it out with another source. Be a shepherd,
not a sheep.
# # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
> Home > Internet
Security Articles:
Main Page |
