From: System Administrator
To: All users
Date: 8/31/2004
Subject: Fwd: Urgent Warning: Virus Hoax
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** Urgent Virus Hoax Warning **

There has been an urgent virus hoax warning issued. You should be aware of this as it can affect Windows, Macintosh and even Linux operating systems. Please pass on this information to everyone you know. This virus hoax has been documented to be able to breach C2 certified firewalls. It has the potential to do significant damage in a short period of time. One user had to re-format their hard drive because of a failed attempt to remove the virus hoax. In another case, it had retro-actively infected backup files.

Characteristics:

The Virus Hoax Warning arrives in an E-mail entitled "Fwd: Urgent Warning: Virus Hoax". It may have an HTML attachment or a TXT attachment or none at all.

Transmission Method:

The Virus Hoax Warning is inadvertently passed on by the user to most of the people in the address book of their E-mail program because they think they are doing the right thing. The virus hoax is aided by technophobia and poor critical thinking skills.

Removal/Repair method:

Repair/removal is not recommended unless the user understands the virus hoax. Training on how computers work is recommended prior to removing the virus hoax. Deleting the correct data will resolve newly infected computers. The longer the computer has been infected, the more difficult it may be to effect repair and/or removal especially if the user's attempts have failed and other malware is present.

Authorities are still working on a permanent fix for this Virus Hoax but expect that because of the complexity of computers, the naivite of users and the time pressures of modernity, it may take some time before it is issued.