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about virus hoaxes

Over the last several years, many people with good intentions have been sending messages alerting friends and colleagues about purported computer viruses that cause mayhem merely by opening e-mail messages that have specific subject lines.

In almost every case, such virus "warnings" are hoaxes. They should be ignored, and you should not forward the warning message to others. When in doubt, always check with your department's computing support staff before taking any action. False warnings cause unnecessary worry and confusion.

Many such hoaxes are described using some combination of the following (or similar) phrases:

• "If you get an e-mail that says 'You've won a trip!' or 'Holiday in California!' [or any of dozens of different subject lines] then DO NOT OPEN IT! It will erase your hard drive!"
• IBM, AOL, Microsoft, and/or the FCC is said to have made the announcement.
• The virus might be said to be "much worse than 'Melissa.'"
• "Forward this warning to everyone in your address book!"

It is highly unlikely that a virus can be constructed to behave in the manner ascribed in such warnings. Generally, merely opening an e-mail message can not cause a virus to activate.

Of course, it's possible to activate a virus by opening a file that is attached to an e-mail message, which is why we advise that you use your e-mail program's attachment features with determined caution. See the QuickTip titled "Viruses and E-Mail Attachments" for details.

Is it a real virus? Before warning others, check here first

False warnings, especially when spread by well-meaning individuals, can cause significant panic and damage. Before passing along a warning, look at these sites to see if it's a known hoax:

• McAfee hoax database, http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp?
• Symantec searchable hoax database, http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.htm

If the warning you received is a known hoax, simply delete the message.

If, after searching the on-line hoax databases, you believe the warning is legitimate, please do not send the warning to others. Instead, contact your department's computing support staff.