[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

virus: hoax

>Date: Wed, 7 Dec 94 13:11:57 EST
>From: [email protected] (Paul Kolodner)
>To: dougie@physics
>Subject: virus
>
>>From jeannie Wed Dec  7 08:10:55 1994
>Date: Wed, 7 Dec 94 08:10:55 EST
>From: jeannie (Jeannie Moskowitz)
>To: prk
>Subject: Fwd: More info on the alleged virus (fwd)
>Content-Length: 6630
>X-Lines: 134
>Status: RO
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I am sending this message out to a number of mailing lists where I saw 
>the virus rumor being spread.  The official word on the "AOL Virus": 
> 
>Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 15:23:09 -0800 
>Message-Id: <[email protected]> 
>Reply-To: [email protected] 
>Originator: [email protected] 
>Sender: [email protected] 
>From: Karyn Pichnarczyk <[email protected]> 
>Subject: CIAC Notes 94-04  
> 
> 
>             U.S. DOE's Computer Incident Advisory Capability 
>           ___  __ __    _     ___           __  __ __   __   __ 
>          /       |     /_\   /       |\ |  /  \   |    |_   /_ 
>          \___  __|__  /   \  \___    | \|  \__/   |    |__  __/ 
> 
>Number 94-04                                                December 6, 1994 
> 
> ------------------- A - T - T - E - N - T - I - O - N ------------------- 
>|  CIAC is available 24-hours a day via its two skypage numbers.  To use  | 
>|  this service, dial 1-800-759-7243.  The PIN numbers are: 8550070 (for  | 
>|  the CIAC duty person) and 8550074 (for the CIAC manager).  Please keep | 
>|  these numbers handy.                                                   | 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> 
>Welcome to the fourth issue of CIAC Notes!  This is a special edition to 
>clear up recent reports of a "good times" virus-hoax.  Let us know if you 
>have topics you would like addressed or have feedback on what is useful and 
>what is not.  Please contact the editor, Allan L. Van Lehn, CIAC, 
>510-422-8193 or send E-mail to [email protected].  
> 
>  $-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$ 
>  $ Reference to any specific commercial product does not necessarily   $ 
>  $ constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring by  $ 
>  $ CIAC, the University of California, or the United States Government.$ 
>  $-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$ 
> 
>THE "Good Times" VIRUS IS AN URBAN LEGEND 
> 
>In the early part of December, CIAC started to receive information requests 
>about a supposed "virus" which could be contracted via America OnLine, simply 
>by reading a message.  The following is the message that CIAC received:  
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>| Here is some important information. Beware of a file called Goodtimes.    | 
>|                                                                           | 
>|  Happy Chanukah everyone, and be careful out there. There is a virus on   | 
>| America Online being sent by E-Mail.  If you get anything called "Good    | 
>| Times", DON'T read it or download it.  It is a virus that will erase your | 
>| hard drive.  Forward this to all your friends.  It may help them a lot.   | 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> 
>THIS IS A HOAX.  Upon investigation, CIAC has determined that this message 
>originated from both a user of America Online and a student at a university 
>at approximately the same time, and it was meant to be a hoax.  
> 
>CIAC has also seen other variations of this hoax, the main one is that any 
>electronic mail message with the subject line of "xxx-1" will infect your 
>computer.  
> 
>This rumor has been spreading very widely.  This spread is due mainly to the 
>fact that many people have seen a message with "Good Times" in the header.  
>They delete the message without reading it, thus believing that they have 
>saved themselves from being attacked. These first-hand reports give a false 
>sense of credibility to the alert message.  
> 
>There has been one confirmation of a person who received a message with 
>"xxx-1" in the header, but an empty message body.  Then, (in a panic, because 
>he had heard the alert), he checked his PC for viruses (the first time he 
>checked his machine in months) and found a pre-existing virus on his machine. 
> He incorrectly came to the conclusion that the E-mail message gave him the 
>virus (this particular virus could NOT POSSIBLY have spread via an E-mail 
>message).  This person then spread his alert.  
> 
>As of this date, there are no known viruses which can infect merely through 
>reading a mail message.  For a virus to spread some program must be executed. 
>Reading a mail message does not execute the mail message.  Yes, Trojans have 
>been found as executable attachments to mail messages, the most notorious 
>being the IBM VM Christmas Card Trojan of 1987, also the TERM MODULE Worm 
>(reference CIAC Bulletin B-7) and the GAME2 MODULE Worm (CIAC Bulletin B-12). 
> But this is not the case for this particular "virus" alert.  
> 
>If you encounter this message being distributed on any mailing lists, simply 
>ignore it or send a follow-up message stating that this is a false rumor.  
> 
>Karyn Pichnarczyk 
>CIAC Team 
>[email protected] 
> 
> 
>- ------------------------------ 
>Contacting CIAC 
> 
>If you require additional assistance or wish to report a vulnerability, call 
>CIAC at 510-422-8193, fax messages to 510-423-8002 or send E-mail to 
>[email protected].  For emergencies and off-hour assistance, call 1-800-SKY-PAGE 
>(759-7243) and enter PIN number 8550070 (primary) or 8550074 (secondary).  
>The CIAC Duty Officer, a rotating responsibility, carries the primary 
>skypager. The Project Leader carries the secondary skypager.  If you are 
>unable to contact CIAC via phone, please use the skypage system.  
> 
>- ------------------------------ 
>This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of 
>the United States Government.  Neither the United States Government nor the 
>University of California nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, 
>express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the 
>accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, 
>or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately 
>owned rights.  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, 
>or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not 
>necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring 
>by the United States Government or the University of California.  The views 
>and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect 
>those of the United States Government or the University of California, and 
>shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.  
> 
>- ------------------------------ 
>End of CIAC Notes Number 94-04  94_12_06 
>**************************************** 
>
>
>
>--Boundary-5446746-0-0--
>
>
>
>----- End Included Message -----
>
>
>