gnubol: Re: Urgent Virus Warning -- Read and Forward Immediately

[Randall Bart <Barticus@att.net>]

Urgent Virus Warning -- Read and Forward Immediately

A new email virus has been unleashed, a new type of virus for
which there is no existing protection.  But the true horror is
this virus knows no bounds.  Previous email viruses attacked
the vulnerabilities of one email program (such as Microsoft
Outlook) or one OS (such as Macintosh) or web based "html"
email interfaces (such as Hot Mail).  This new virus is
platform independent -- users of Linux, UNIX, Telnet,
mainframe email systems, and completely custom email packages
are equally at risk.  Some have speculated that fax machines
and conventional mail may also be vulnerable.

Once any virus has been spotted, it is usually easy to add a
new virus signature to virus scan programs.  Unfortunately,
"second class" hackers then modify the existing virus to slip
by the virus scans.  In the case of this new virus, though the
technology is novel, it's easily grasped by any and all hackers.
Millions of malicious hackers possess the knowledge and means
to modify this new virus in ways that will evade existing
virus scans.

The new email virus is called the Read and Forward Virus
(R&F), because of its method of propagation, and also because
of its subject line:  "Fwd: Re: Urgent Virus Warning -- Read
and Forward Immediately".  (Note that hackers may have
modified the subject line before the virus reaches you.)

The virus spreads by two principle means:

1)  The R&F virus convinces the reader that the email is in
fact a warning about another virus.  The user then unwittingly
forwards the R&F virus to all the users they share bug and
virus warnings with.  Or,

2)  The R&F virus convinces the reader that it is a joke.  The
user then unwittingly forwards the R&F virus to all the users
they share jokes with.

Believe me, it is vitally important that we distribute this
announcement as quickly as possible.  Please forward this email
rapidly to every email address that you know. Post the warning
to every newsgroup and chat board you know of.  If unsure
if someone's email address is correct, send it by fax, or send
copies by snail mail.  If you receive this message from a
user who sent a hard copy, scan it into your computer and
send it by email to everyone you know.  If you received this
at work, forward this to your home email, and vice-versa.  If
users send you additional copies of this warning, that only
shows how important this warning is.  You should forward this
again every time you receive it.

The one limit on the R&F virus is that the reader has to know
English, but there are early reports that hackers have
translated R&F into other languages.  Therefore, if you are
fluent in any language besides English, please translate this
warning into every language you know, and distribute it as
soon as possible.

The only thing we can do about R&F is distribute this warning.


Nader voter and still proud.  Give drug peace a chance.
WTO is Worker's Tyranny and Oppression.  When cryptography is
outlawed, shdwsf wwufdpjd ndgdssk mdwq qrsz.


-- 
This message was sent through the gnu-cobol mailing list.  To remove yourself
from this mailing list, send a message to majordomo@lusars.net with the
words "unsubscribe gnu-cobol" in the message body.  For more information on
the GNU COBOL project, send mail to gnu-cobol-owner@lusars.net.