Re: Fwd: Fwd(3): [Fwd: FW: VIRUS ALERT]

Andrew Searle (73712.3451@CompuServe.COM)
10 Dec 96 15:12:48 EST

Message text written by INTERNET:GEN-NYS-L@rootsweb.com
> The "trojan horse" virus will have already infected the
> boot sector of your hard drive, destroying all of the data present. It
> is a self-replicating virus, and once the message is read, it will
> AUTOMATICALLY forward itself to anyone who's e-mail address is
> present in YOUR mailbox! This virus will DESTROY your hard
> drive, and holds the potential to DESTROY the hard drive of
> anyone whose mail is in your inbox, and who's mail is in their inbox, and
so
> on.<

What is described here is technologically impossible. There have been a number
of warning messages like this circulating on the Internet for Months (even
years). They have been carefully and thoroughly investigated and it has been
proven that the viruses cannot be transmitted with the encoding used for e-mail.
Downloading software is the real danger.

It is unlikely that you will get a message with the subject "PENPAL GREETINGS."
But don't cause unecessary panic and the proliferation of "technomyths" by
forwarding this message to others. Installing a GOOD virus screen is far wiser
protection.

Andrew Searle
Groton, Massachusetts
73712.3451@compuserve.com

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