Why?

[busyglen]

I have just received `yet again' a treble times FWD email warning me of a new Virus which is supposed to be confirmed by McAfee. When I look at the list of addresses on the email, I can just imagine the panic that has goaded people in to action to warn all their friends.

But WHY don't they check it out first? I always check a list of Virus Hoaxes before I do anything.....then if there is call to be alarmed, I will mention it.

I don't keep an address book, so if there is a problem I am the only one affected by it.

This one was to do with being sent a Greetings Card, and was discovered by McAfee on 27th September.

So....please....if you receive a virus warning, check it out first before alarming a lot of people (some like my sister who is elderly and would panic).

Glenys

[MarkJ]

Indeed Glenys! Hoax virus warnings are almost as annoying as the real thing. As you say, they worry people who frantically email all their friends to warn them - thus spreading the hoax in the same way as real malware would.

Mark

[Mike_E]

You can always check thing like this at the AV Vendors.

http://www.sophos.co.uk/


if you launch the Sophos home page (link above) and then type some of the info about the virus (suspect) in the search bar at the top, more often than not it comes up as a hoax. For my sins, I maintain a corporate wide AV solution, and got many of these e-mails at work. over the last 5 years they have reduced in frequency from many each week, to just the odd one as I educate the staff to check before sending out panic mails.
I've posted Sophos, because thats what I use. I get it free through work, or could have BT's offering, but out corporate systems require Sophos to be running on home PC's before it will allow my home PC to connect into the works network.

[busyglen]

Thanks Mike.

I have a couple of ULR's that I use to check them out, but hadn't heard of this one.

Glenys

[suedent]

Apart from the annoyance of getting the hoax virus warnings there is the added irritation that very few of the people that spread them about use BCC.

I have several email addresses & I'm selective about who has which address. I don't appreciate them being spread around willy nilly.

One email I received had apparently been sent to everyone in the ladies address book, including a high street bank, Channel 4 and the BBC!

[MarkJ]

That is so annoying Sue! One of my contacts is one of those people who has to forward every single "joke" she is sent to everyone. It comes from one of her equally challenged friends, with a huge cc: list - often as you say, people who possibly do not want their address passing to all sorts of people!
I learned many years ago to use a single email address for anyone other than known and trusted contacts - so all the fwd, fwd, cc:cc: stuff goes to an address which I can drop at any time. I have tried to explain the dangers of forwarding mail to all and sundry in this way, but it tends to fall on deaf ears :(

Mark

[busyglen]

That is so annoying Sue! One of my contacts is one of those people who has to forward every single "joke" she is sent to everyone. It comes from one of her equally challenged friends, with a huge cc: list - often as you say, people who possibly do not want their address passing to all sorts of people!


Mark

I have someone who does the same, but quite often (depends on my mood) I delete it without looking at it. That is why I don't keep an automatic address book...I've switched it off, and use an ordinary address book with email addys in. Of course I save quite a few emails, and copy and paste sometimes for quickness. I feel safer doing it this way, and I am not persuaded to forward these `joke' mails as it would take too long to list the addresses, plus I am not sending out other peoples addresses without their permission!!

Glenys