Virus Hoaxes

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Overview of Virus Hoaxes

On top of real computer viruses, worms, and Trojans, joke programs, adware, spyware, dialers, trackware, misleading applications, and hack tools, our online communities are also subjected to so-called viruses that are computer virus hoaxes.  What is a virus hoax or virus hoax alert?  The definition of a virus hoax or virus hoax alert is a  message warning the recipient of a non-existent computer virus threat.  They are messages almost always sent by email or sometimes be internet virus hoax messages generated on the web that in concept, amount to  little more than chain letters. 

Types of Virus Hoaxes: Are virus hoaxes worms?

• Olympic Torch Hoax
• YIM Hard drive killer Hoax
• Google Trojan Hoax
• Jdbgmgr.exe file hoax
• Virus Profile: !!?UNAVAILABLE!? Mobile Phone Hoax

And now, we also have parodies of virus hoaxes

• the "Weird Al" Yankovic's song "Virus Alert" parody
• honor system virus parody
• the Tuxissa virus parody

Lessons Learned

• Characteristics of virus hoaxes
• Common Phrases of virus hoaxes
• Safe Computing
• General Advisory

Types of Virus Hoaxes: Are Virus Hoaxes Worms?

Some consider virus hoaxes and other chain e-mails to be a computer worm because they replicate by social engineering—exploiting users' concern, ignorance, and disinclination to investigate before acting.  These messages may be regarding completely fictitious viruses and trojans, or they may be misleadingly warning users about legitimate programs (a common target of past hoaxes was screensavers and more recently, Windows® utilities). Most hoaxes are sensational in nature and easily identified by the fact that they indicate that the virus will do nearly impossible things, like blow up the recipient's computer and set it on fire, or less sensationally, delete everything on the user's computer. They can contain announcements claimed to be from reputable organizations such as Microsoft, IBM, or news sources such as CNN, and include emotionally charged language encouraging the recipient to forward the message. These sources are quoted only to add credibility to the hoax.

Virus hoaxes, although they are nuisances, can also be a device used as a subterfuge to lure unsuspecting users to routinely ignore all virus warning messages, leaving them vulnerable to a genuine, destructive virus.

Characteristics of virus hoaxes:

• Reports of a virus that can do massive damage to your computer - many even going so far as to say that critical hardware will be destroyed.
• May sound unnecessarily technical, although often meaningless, thus taking advantage of many users fears of technology, the unknown.
• May quote bogus announcements from anti virus Industry experts, some even going so far as to provide a correct link to an AV site,which strangely enough, if visited, will most likely tell you that it's a hoax.
• The message may be written in emotionally charged language. For instance, the message may be colored with upper case text and contain large numbers of exclamation marks in order to emphasize the severity of the perceived threat and make the user more likely to forward the message.
• Asks that you forward the message to as many people as possible. This is the most obvious line in a hoax.
• Warnings from reputable expert sources do not ask you to forward their notifications.  It is this part of the text of the message in particular, that should immediately make wary users skeptical.

Common phrases used in virus hoaxes:

• If you receive an email titled [email virus hoax name here], do not open it!
• Delete it immediately!
• It contains the [hoax name] virus.
• It will delete everything on your hard drive and [extreme and improbable danger specified here].
• This virus was announced today by [reputable organization name here].
• Forward this warning to everyone you know!

Most virus hoax alert warnings do not deviate far from this pattern.  Delete the hoax virus emails - they are bogus warnings usually intent only on frightening or misleading users.  

Action Regarding Email Virus Hoaxes by Reputable Anti-Malware Houses:

F-Secure recommends:
Do not forward hoax messages.

Hoax warnings are typically scare alerts started by malicious people – and passed on by innocent individuals that think they are helping the community by spreading the warning.

Corporate users can get rid of the hoax problem by simply setting a strict company guideline: End users must not forward virus alarms. Ever. It's not the job of an end user anyway. If such message is received, end users could forward it to the IT department but not to anyone else.

McAfee recommends:
We are advising users who receive the email to delete it and DO NOT pass it on as this is how an email HOAX propagates.

Symantec recommends:
Hoaxes usually arrive in the form of an email. Please disregard the hoax emails - they contain bogus warnings usually intent only on frightening or misleading users. The best course of action is to merely delete these hoax emails.

SAFE COMPUTING

With all the hype, it is easy to believe that viruses lurk in every file, every email, every Web site. However, a few basic precautions can minimize your risk of infection - your real target.  Practice these safe computing steps and encourage everyone you know to do so as well.

General precautions against virus hoaxes

• Be suspicious of email attachments from unknown sources, it may be well to mark/ delete these messages as spam
• Verify that attachments have been sent by the author of the email.  Be aware that newer viruses can send email messages that appear to be from people you know
• Do not set your email program to "auto-run" attachments
• Keep you computer system updated with all Microsoft® security updates for your computer system
• Keep your antivirus application updated and machine scanned at least every week
• Back up your data frequently.  Keep the write-protected media in a safe place—preferably in a different location than your computer

General Advisory and Recap

Once determined to be a hoax virus alert, simply delete those messages regarding email hoaxes or virus hoax alert warnings, and do not pass on these messages. Passing on messages about the email virus hoax or virus hoax alert only serves to further propagate it.  Many antivirus software entities uncover and document virus hoaxes on a regular basis. Learn more about different email virus hoaxes, virus hoax alerts, or internet virus hoaxes through your AntiVirus software web support pages.  Why?  They are still a back handed threat:  they can be implemented by virus coders to transmit genuine destructive viruses in order to dupe the desensitized online communities through known email virus hoax messages/alerts/ and warnings.  The computer virus was originally created as a practical joke, but the whole issue has since have become a really bad joke.  For information on genuine destructive email viruses, please see our article Email Virus.

If you are unsure if an email virus warning, email virus alert, or internet virus hoax is legitimate or a true hoax,  if you need help to determine if an email is a hoax virus, or if you accidentally did what it told you to do and now have second thoughts about that, please give us a call.  We would be happy to help you and determine the factual information on the suspected virus hoax, the threats/risks incurred from it whether acted upon or not, and apply, if necessary, what the appropriate remedy is for your particular system for anything that might have occurred on your computer since you received or acted upon the suspected hoax, in order to bring your system back to optimal condition.

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We're here 24/7 as your remote Virus Hoaxes Support help. Just call one of our Personal Technology Experts® and we’ll handle everything. The entire process is easy.After you call, one of our Tech Experts will start remotely scanning your computer right away. By using only your Internet connection, we can fix just about any problem you may have—big or small. We're here to help you get the most from your technology.Also, by calling Support.com, there’s no need to go out to a local support center or invite strangers to your home. You’re free to just sit back and relax after we start.

Free Virus Scans May Cost You More Than You Bargained For

If you’re surfing the Web, and suddenly you get a pop-up telling you that your computer is infected, be very careful what you do next. One of the most common ways that computers get infected is by clicking on bogus offers for free virus scans. This allows malware onto the computer, and may be just the beginning of a long and frustrating process to restore the computer back to normal. Support.com has already helped thousands of customers recover from this kind of attack on their computers.

Why wait to fix your problem? Get the virus removal help you need right now, from Support.com!

When is a Free Virus Scan Not Really Free?

There are legitimate antivirus and antispyware programs that offer a free virus program that you can download as a way to introduce their product, in hopes that you will decide to buy the full version downloads of their products. Unfortunately, that’s the same approach that the rogue antivirus programs use to trick you into putting their free virus and spyware programs on your computer. The difference is that the rogues will actually introduce infections to your computer, and open the door to let other forms of malicious software in, and then offer to sell the fully paid version in order to remove the infections that they “found” (introduced). The whole point of the offer for a free virus scan is simply to gain access to your computer, potentially damaging your files and collecting passwords and credit card information along the way.

Bogus "Fix it For You" Software

Visitors to these infected sites may receive a (fake) popup warning that their computer is infected, with an offer to download free virus programs to scan for infections (which they find, even on a clean machine where there are no real infections), and then offer to sell the full version download in order to remove the fake infections. Or, they may be subjected to what’s called a “drive by attack,” where the rogue software downloads itself onto an unsecured computer without asking permission as soon as the website is visited. Their victims may not even know right away that they have been infected; the infection may lay dormant until some other condition is met.

Don’t leave your computer’s contents vulnerable to attack when you’ve got Support.com standing by ready to help you right now! We’re just a click or a phone call away, 24 hours a day.

Viruses and other malware posing as free virus and spyware downloads can cause damage to your important files, leaving them severely damaged or totally corrupted. After doing their damage, they may once again offer to sell you the full version to "fix" the problem that they "found" (introduced). We recommend that you always keep your important data backed up, so that after the computer is virus free, you can recover any corrupted data by restoring your data from backup copies.

Impersonating the Real Deal

One of the reasons these rogue programs are so successful is that they choose names similar to real AV and AS software. For every legitimate antivirus and antispyware program that exists, there are more impersonators just waiting for an unsuspecting victim. For example, someone might easily be confused when offered a free download of a program that claims to be Microsoft virus software called MS Antivirus, or MS AntiSpyware, both of which are rogues. 

Perhaps you’re reading this right now because you’ve already been tricked into downloading free software that has turned out to be malicious. Support.com offers an easy solution. If your computer has been infected, or even if you’re just worried that it might be, we can help you right now, 24/7, over your broadband Internet connection. There’s no need to invite strangers into your home, or be locked into someone else’s timetable. 

Expert Remote Computer and Peripheral Repair

Rest assured that when you contact Support.com, you’re getting the excellent remote diagnostic and computer repair you deserve. Many local computer support centers have little if any qualification requirements for working there. Sometimes you might get good service, sometimes you may not. Don’t chance it.

At Support.com, we require all of our Personal Technology Experts® to know their stuff. Before they can help you with your home computer diagnostics and repairs, our Experts must first earn their title by passing a series of incredibly rigorous tests. Many don’t make it. By setting such high standards, Support.com assures you that you’re getting some of the best computer optimization possible.

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Support.com offers the top-notch support you’ve been looking for.  We've been helping people solve their computer problems since 1998.

All of our Personal Technology Experts® are full-time employees living right here in North America. Before they can help you, they must first earn their title by passing a series of incredibly rigorous tests. By doing this, Support.com assures you that you’re getting the best customer support possible.

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