Internet Security ABC

 

Virus HoaxThree Ways to Identify a Virus Hoax

One way to check on a virus to see if it might be a hoax is to check the following list. Popular virus hoaxes include: Iraq war hoax, internet flower hoax, intel special offer hoax, ICE virus mobile phone hoax, happy new year hoax, guts to say Jesus hoax, great gas out hoax, got you hoax, good times hoax, girls of Playboy Hoax, girl thing hoax, ghost exe hoax, fun prog hoax, good times hoax, ghost exe hoax, Zlatko, your friend D@fit, Y2Kgame, WTC survivor hoax, wobbler hoax, work hoax, win a holiday hoax, Windows 98 warning hoax, welcome to the matrix hoax, valentine greeting hoax, W32 torch hoax, WASUP hoax, unable to deliver hoax, tax return hoax, Phantom Menace hoax, pool party hoax, unable to deliver hoax, Irina hoax, join the crew hoax, joke flipped hoax, and many others

There are
many viruses out there on the Internet, but many of them are not viruses, but are simply hoaxes. However, there have been cases in the past of a hoax starting out harmless, and then having a Trojan horse added to it, making many people susceptible because what they thought was harmless is suddenly quite harmful indeed. Never ever open an email attachment unless you are sure of it and know who it came from. If an attachment is suspicious, don't open it.

There are many computer virus hoaxes out there, some spread by well meaning people. For instance, an automotive writer responded to a letter about a supposed but non existent virus in the onboard computer of Lexus automobiles with how frightening the thought of one was to him, which spread across the Internet and may have damaged sales of Lexus cars without good reason. Another well known virus hoax that occurred recently and was started by well meaning people was the sheep.exe hoax. Well meaning people were warning others about the commercial program, creating undue fear and a virus alert. Another false story circulated that Blue Mountain greeting cards contained a virus, and many people ceased to do business with this company based on a hoax.

If worried about being deceived by a computer virus hoax, here are a few tips to help you spot the hoaxes in the future. First, did a real computer expert send you the alert; was it your mother in law or your Brother Fred's best friend? If it looks like a hoax chain letter it probably is one. Next, does it urge you to forward the chain letter to everyone you know? If it does then chances are it is a hoax. Legitimate virus alerts will not ask you to participate in mass chaos. Finally does the email offer a details page link? If it is a real warning it will summarize the information and link to a well respected site for more details. Remember though that some hoaxsters will include links to real websites trying to make you think they are real. Check out the website by typing it into your browser and if it seems to be a hoax, it probably is.

Many people get duped by computer hoaxes, telling all of their friends about these modern urban legends with great, but false and misguided authority. Most duped users don't want to admit they were fooled. Remember, it takes a strong ego to admit a mistake, so encourage your friends who were fooled to own up to it. Their intentions were good. Give them a chance to fess up and you'll be amazed at how quickly many people will try to make amends. So that you too don't get caught in the trap, don't automatically assume that any email you receive is accurate. Most people on the Internet receive chain letter emails, and oddly enough many people send them on for fear of harming a relationship with the person who sent it. Stopping the chain and stopping the insanity is necessary. Hoaxes and myths will continue if people continue to play the game and send the chain letters along. Don't be a link in the chain.

Finally, knowledge is the key to stopping hoaxes and myths. Stay information. Don't believe everything you read or hear until you check it out with another source. Be a shepherd, not a sheep.

Identity Theft via Internet Security Flaws

Spies Everywhere What is Spyware and Why is it so Bad

Getting Down With Downloads How to Protect Your Computer

Top Five Vulnerable Areas in Internet Security

What IP Addresses Mean in the Scheme of Internet Security

 

Internet Security
Are You an Enabler? What Enabling Cookies
Can the Spam-How to Filter Out All the Unnecessary Junk
Channel the Cookie Monster in You - Computer Cookies Can Be Bad For Your Computer's Health
Chat Room Challenge - Five Tips to Ensure Your Anonymity
Computer Band-aid - How to Know if You Need to Download that Security Patch
Computer Deep Freeze - Ten Tips to Keep your PC Up and Running
Computer Junkyard - Does Spam Filtering Really Help?
Dial-Up vs. Broadband - Which is the Safer Alternative?
Doesn't Ad up - Three Things that Adware does to your Computer
Don't Click No! How to Safely Close those Pop-up Windows
Don't Get Hacked Off-How to Stop Computer Interlopers in their Tracks
Exercise Parental Control - Five Tips to Keep Kids Safe on the Internet
Exterminate those Bugs on your PC
Getting Down With Downloads - How to Protect Your Computer
Hijacked at Home - Five Steps to Protect Your Home PC
Identity Theft via Internet Security Flaws
Inoculate Yourself against Computer Viruses
Internet Anonymizers - Why and When You Should Use Them
Key Logging Capers Part Two - Three Reasons why it is a Problem
Key Logging Capers - Three Reasons Why You Need It
Let's Go Phishing! - Five Ways to Avoid Being Hooked by This Scam
Maintaining Your Privacy on the Internet - Five Things you can do
Malicious Instant Messages-Three Ways Instant Messaging Compromises Internet Security
Malware is bad for your Computer
Picking Blackberries - Why Mobile Technology Needs More Security
Pound Those Pop-Ups
Six Tips for Staying Healthy in a Computer Virus World
Something Doesn't Register - Cleaning your Computer's Registry for Safety
Spies Everywhere - What is Spyware and Why is it so Bad?
Squash those Worms - Four Ways to Keep your PC Critter-Free
That Wasn't Scripted! Why Scripted Viruses are Bad News
The Basics of Internet Website Encryption
The Cookie Monster - How Do Cookies Influence Internet Security?
The Digital Certificate - What's It Mean and Why is It Important?
Three Benefits to Using an Internet Remailer
Three Reasons to Wipe Your Computer's Internet History Files Clean
Three Ways that an Internet Firewall Can Be Compromised
Three Ways to Identify a Virus Hoax
Three Ways to make sure your Online Credit Card Transaction is Safe
Toolbar Traps - What You Should Know BEFORE Downloading that "Helpful" Toolbar
Top Five Reasons to Install a Firewall
Top Five Spyware Threats to Internet Security
Top Five Vulnerable Areas in Internet Security
Top Five Worst Viruses and How to Protect Your Computer against Them
Top Four Ways to Ensure a Secure Password
Top Ten Tools to Boost your Internet Security
What IP Addresses Mean in the Scheme of Internet Security
When Formatting the Hard Drive is Your Only Recourse
Internet Privacy
Remote Access Trojans Hijacking your Computer
Precautions You Should Take When Installing WiFi in your Home
Sold! How to Maintain your Privacy and Still Indulge in Online Auctions
Social Networking Be Careful of What You Post!
Sneaky Ways to Get Around those Internet Privacy Issues
Identity Theft
Electronic Mail Identity Theft
Facts on Identity Theft
Fighting Identity Theft
ID Theft

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