From: One of Your Friends
Subject: Virus Alert - Do not open mail with the subject XYZ
Action:  Pass this warning on to everyone you know!

Message:  Area of Infection: Windows ME/XP/2000 and this virus originated in Taiwan and within one week was worldwide.  The virus infects Windows 2000, ME and XP files and will quickly infect your computer and can crash it.  The virus uses two methods of infection, the first will overwrite or delete information on the hard drive by using direct disk-write calls, bypassing standard BIOS virus protection, while overwriting the MBR and boot sectors.

The second action has the ability to overwrite certain flash BIOS chipsets on some machines such as Pentiums and or other Intel, which may have flash BIOS.  Some computers have a jumper on the motherboard, which acts as hardware write protection.  Some machines also have a DIP switch, which allows the flashing BIOS to be disabled.  There are some newer computers that cannot be protected by the switch and therefore are vulnerable to the virus.  If this virus executes it will leave the PC inoperable.

Sounds Scary

Since this sounds dangerous you probably passed it on to many friends and acquaintances. The sad fact is that you have probably been taken in by a hoax!  Usually this type of warning is not real and is only used to tie up the internet and frighten people.  It is the modern-day equivalent of the chain letter, you remember, Send a copy of this letter to ten people within the next week or a terrible fate will befall you!

The Net Effect

So, you think, what is wrong with sending this message, better safe than sorry, right?   Well, think about it for a minute.  When you receive one of these messages don't you begin to worry?  Think about all the people you needlessly worry when you pass along the message.  In fact, what you are really doing is something like saying loudly, There MAY be a FIRE!   Hopefully, you wouldn't want to do that.

What's worse is that all this extra traffic (the technical term for messages being sent on the Internet) slows down everything for everyone.  Indeed this traffic jam is the same as the one on the highway at 5 o'clock.  At some point all this extra traffic may cause the need to add more bandwidth (like adding more lanes) for no real reason. And that costs all of us more money.  Think about that the next time you pass along one of these fool-makers.

Check It Out

If you click on the link below you will be taken to the Symantec site, a company who makes many products including the Norton Utilities and virus protection software*.

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/cgi-bin/vsearch.cgi

At this page, type in the name of the suspected virus and press the search key and it will tell you the whole name of the supposed virus and if it is a hoax or not.  In the case of our XYZ virus example it was a hoax.

*Note:  Sherwood does not endorse these products or have any affiliation with Symantec.
To the best of our knowledge they are a reputable company with good products.  We offer you this link as a courtesy only.