So, I received a virus warning from a beloved family member. It angers me that people try to frighten others, like my relative, with these hoaxes. Here is the e-mail.

From: J. Steve Bogie
Date: Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 4:16 PM
Subject: Fw: WARNING !!!! WARNING !!!! VIRUS ALERT A VERY BAD ONE !!!! A MUST READ !!!!
To: judy jenkins , Marcia Kilgore


This is a re-do; I typed in your email incorrectly. Sorry for any inconvenience; I TRUELY trust the source of this email. "G" is Glen, and he's an awesome supporter of our Troops SINCE Vietnam, so I trust him with my life; my computer is nada. In God We Trust! -- J.Steve/Maddog

----- Original Message ----- From:
To: "
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 17:39
Subject: Fw: WARNING !!!! WARNING !!!! VIRUS ALERT A VERY BAD ONE !!!! A MUST READ !!!!



----- Original Message ----- From: G
To: J.Steve Bogie
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 14:37
Subject: WARNING !!!! WARNING !!!! VIRUS ALERT A VERY BAD ONE !!!! A MUST READ !!!!


WARNING !!!! WARNING !!!!


VIRUS ALERT A VERY BAD ONE<<< A MUST READ !!!! TO ALL. Dave's brother is a very advanced programmer who does computer work for aliving and has a high up status with Microsoft. He doesn't send these if they aren't real. If he says this is for real, it for sure is. Be aware. VIRUS COMING ! Checked with Norton Anti-Virus, and they are gearing up for this virus! Checked Snoops, and it is for real. Get this E-mail message sent around to your contacts ASAP. PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS! You should be alert during the next few days. DO NOT OPEN any message with an attachment entitled 'POSTCARD FROM HALLMARK, 'regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus which opens A POSTCARD IMAGE, which 'BURNS' the whole Hard Disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list. This is the reason why you need to send this e-mail to all your contacts. It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.. If you receive a mail called' POSTCARD,' even though sent to you by a friend, do not open it! Shut down your computer immediately. This is the worst virus announced by CNN. It has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.. FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO YOUR FRIENDS. REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, YOU WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US... No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1498/3532 - Release Date: 03/26/11

My opinions:


I do not intend this blog to criticize anyone but those who try to cause fear through e-mail hoaxes.

I encourage everyone to read an article about this at http://www.elder-computers.com/virus-hoaxes.htm

This is a pretty suspicious message. First, it appeals to an expert.
"Dave's brother is a very advanced programmer who does computer work
for aliving and has a high up status with Microsoft.
He doesn't send these if they aren't real. If he says this is for real, it for sure is. Be aware."

I have no idea what "a high up status with Microsoft" means. And, um, Microsoft does not have the best history in finding viruses and security vulnerabilities. But it sure sounds like this is a guy we should listen to.

"Checked with Norton Anti-Virus, and they are gearing up for this virus!"
I am not sure how they would "gear up". Their business is to put out definitions of these viruses that allows their software to block malware.

"Checked Snoops, and it is for real."
A red flag for sure. I guess they are trying to say Snopes. Regardless, Snopes is one couple. Just like you. Snopes does not have vast tools or resources to determine hoaxes.

"PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS!"
If you have worked in a corporate environment, your System Administrators have probably given strict instructions to not forward such messages. Believe it or not, the mass forwarding of these kinds of messages is almost certainly more destructive to a network that the actual virus. For one thing, NetAdmins can fight viruses. It is MUCH harder to counter human behavior. By the way, I am a System Administrator who focuses on Network Security.

"It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.."
Completely false. But they sure make it sound logical, don't they?

"It has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever."
Um, yah, right.

" which 'BURNS' the whole Hard Disc C of your computer."
Thermite burns hard drives, viruses do not. But they sure make it sound scary, don't they?

"This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.."
I wonder just what "vital information" they are speaking of? But this sentence is vague, but then they throw in a technical term "Zero Sector" to make it sound all official.

By the way, malware in the form of an e-mail attachment is not a virus. It is a Trojan Horse.


THE FACTS
Malware is indeed a danger to be cautious of. But don't let these e-mails scare you. And please do your network a favor and never forward these e-mails. First, it is probably a hoax and the hoaxers are laughing as their warning goes viral (as in spreading around exponentially, like a virus). Second, the mass forwarding of e-mails is harmful to networks and use up resources that you would rather use to watch youtube, or netflix or, I dunno, read my blog. But for me the biggest reason is to not alarm innocent people of a false report.

DO use anti-virus software. I like PC Tools Spyware Doctor, especially since it is free. But there are many available.
DO avoid opening e-mail attachments from anyone you do not trust; that is anyone who you are not willing to place the life of your harddrive in their hands.
DO pay attention to reports of malware from legitimate sources. Forwarded e-mails are NOT legitimate sources.
DO avoid questionable sites. Pornographic sites are notorious for being full of malware. Sites offering free stuff can also be full of it, malware that is. And torrents can have malware.
DO update Windows regularly.


This also reminds me of a passage in scripture. It speak of the tongue, as in human speech. But I think it applies to typing fingers too. [This passage is also more specifically referring to cursing men. But I am confident my application is also applicable.]

(New King James Version)

James 3

The Untamable Tongue

1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed,we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%203&version=NKJV