As they say, look before you leap. If someone, even a friend, sends you a
message about a virus, first check the hoax information on a site like
About.com. Here is the info:
The AIDS Virus (Hoax)
Here's the latest mutation of a venerable computer virus hoax. The basic
idea is that simply by opening an email message you will unleash a
horrible virus that will destroy your computer -- even the hardware. Read
on:
There is a virus out now being sent to people via email...it is called the
A.I.D.S. VIRUS. It will destroy your memory, sound card and speakers, hard
drive and it will infect your mouse or pointing device..as well as your
keyboards making what you type not able to register on the screen. It self
terminates only after it eats 5MB of hard drive space & will delete all
programs. It will come via E-mail called "OPEN: VERY COOL! :)". Delete it
immediately!! It will basically render your computer useless. PASS IT ON
QUICKLY & TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE!! THANKS!! :-) >>
Nonsense. First of all, simply reading an email message cannot execute a
virus program on your computer. Second of all, viruses cannot attack your
hardware. It's technically impossible.
Here's an earlier version of the hoax message:
THEREE IS A VIRUS GOING AROUND CALLED THE A.I.D.S VIRUS. IT WILL ATTACH
ITSELF INSIDE YOUR COMPUTER AND EAT AWAY AT YOUR MEMORY THIS MEMORY IS
IRREPLACEABLE. THEN WHEN IT'S FINISHED WITH MEMORY IT INFECTS YOUR MOUSE
OR POINTING DEVICE. THEN IT GOES TO YOUR KEY BOARD AND THE LETTERS YOU
TYPE WILLNOT REGISTER ON SCREEN. BEFORE IT SELF TERMINATES IT EATS 5MB OF
HARD DRIVE SPACE AND WILL DELETE ALL PROGRAMS ON IT AND IT CAN SHUT DOWN
ANY 8 BIT TO 16 BIT SOUND CARDS RENDERING YOUR SPEAKERS USELESS. IT WILL
COME IN E-MAIL CALLED "OPEN:VERY COOL! :) DELETE IT RIGHT AWAY. THIS VIRUS
WILL BASICLY RENDER YOUR COMPUTER USELESS. YOU MUST PASS THIS ON QUICKLY
AND TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSLE!!!!! YOU MUST!
Rule of thumb: in virtually every case, emailed warnings and alerts which
contain a sentence like "You must pass this on to everyone you know!" are
hoaxes. Further reasons to be suspicious: the message is unsigned; it
offers no references to back up its claims, nor any way for recipients to
authenticate the information; its tone is hysterical, its purpose is to
frighten recipients into replicating the message.
For reliable information on this and other computer virus hoaxes, visit
the U.S. Dept. of Energy's CIAC Website (Computer Incident Advisory
Capability).
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The URL of this page is:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blaids.htm
Hope this helps.
:) Karun
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Karun K. Singh, PhD Candidate (Social Administration), CUSSW
NCS: ORGANIZE! Columbia University, New York, April 8-9,2000
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