FluffybunnY

Posts: n/a

I got this from Teneale37 and decided to post it here for all:



Please Be Extremely Careful especially if using internet mail such as
Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and so on. This information arrived this morning
direct from both Microsoft and Norton.

Please send it to everybody you know who has access to the Internet.

You may receive an apparently harmless email with a PowerPoint
presentation "Life is beautiful."

If you receive it DO NOT OPEN THE FILE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, and
delete it immediately. If you open this file, a message will appear on
your screen saying: "It is too late now, your life is no longer
beautiful."

Subsequently you will LOSE EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC and the person who sent
it to you will gain access to your name, e-mail and password.

This is a new virus which started to circulate on Saturday afternoon.
AOL has already confirmed the severity, and the antivirus software's are
not capable of destroying it.

The virus has been created by a hacker who calls himself "life owner."

KatRN

Posts: 3,408

TYTYTY FLUFF!!

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Mrteabag

Posts: n/a

lol ive heard about viruses like these that arent true...but thanks anyway fluff

Jonathan

Posts: 6,247

Blog Entries: 3

This is along the same rule of: Don't open attachments!

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Robby

Posts: 2,144

Most anti virus sites, have a place you can check out the named virus, or subject. If it is a hoax, or old news they will have it listed there. If it is bad, they will have fixes posted too.

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ycats

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pinaygrl

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Scrump

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FluffybunnY

Posts: n/a

I sent it to a friend of mine as well and he sent back this:


First, the official denial from Symantec, makers of Norton Antivirus: "Symantec Security Response encourages you to ignore any messages regarding this hoax. It is harmless and is intended only to cause unwarranted concern."

Now, let's look at the red flags that it's a hoax:

This information arrived this morning, from Microsoft and Norton.
Arrived where? When was this morning? Microsoft is not in the anti-virus business and does not issue virus alerts. Norton is the brand name of an antivirus program by Symantec Corporation.

Please send it to everybody you know who accesses the Internet.
No antivirus company distributes information in this fashion.


You may receive an apparently harmless email with a PowerPoint presentation called "Life is beautiful.pps."
It is possible for a PowerPoint file to be infected with some types of viruses, but this vulnerability is easily patched with updates from Microsoft. Besides, what's keeping someone along the line from changing the file name and sending it to you?

If you receive it DO NOT OPEN THE FILE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, and delete it immediately.
Real virus warnings tell you about patches and software updates that would provide real protection. They might also include instruction for cleaning the infection and steps to take to report the virus to the authorities. Deleting an infected attachment doesn't protect you from future infections, nor would it remove any existing infections.

This is a new virus which started to circulate on Saturday afternoon.
When was Saturday? Virtually every virus warning hoax is about a "new" virus, even though some of them have been circulating for years. This lends credence to the following mistaken assertion that the antivirus wouldn't yet be on top of it.

UOL has already confirmed its dangerousness, and the antivirus Softs are not capable of destroying it.
UOL is a Latin American e-mail provider and, as such, would be just as unlikely an expert source on this as Microsoft. But, if so much is known about this virus, why can't the antivirus programs detect it and protect against it? In reality, most antivirus companies issue updates within hours of a new virus being detected.

The warning concludes with a description of the hacker's motives in this attack, making it seem like you could be an innocent victim in the war between big business and the little hacker - a common theme in e-mail hoaxes.
Relying on anonymously authored and randomly forwarded e-mail warnings to protect you and your PC from virus infection is akin to hanging out in a hospital to protect yourself from the flu. It doesn't provide any safeguards and, in fact, places you at increased risk. There is no substitute for antivirus software. It's inexpensive and readily available.

Install it, keep it updated, and never forward another virus warning.

Break this Chain.

Robby

Posts: 2,144

I sure totally agree with this friend. He only has one thing wrong with his email. MS does not do anti virus. If he has checked on Windows One Care, he would find himself in error there. It is not yet the best protection, but is improving every time they do updates, and provides some protections in one package.

In case you cannot tell, I run that package and so far I like its performance.

Oh and Fluffy, what is that link in the middle of the post. I keep getting a warning about it. Might want to check it out before I hammer it to death.

*Edit - I thought i deleted that darn thing!!

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