Virus warning

[RIDER]

Virus warning

:clapping:

Emails with pictures of Osama Bin-Laden hanged are being sent and the moment that you open these emails your computer will crash and you will not be able to fix it!

If you get an email along the lines of 'Osama Bin Laden Captured'

or 'Osama Hanged' don't open the attachment.

This e-mail is being distributed through countries around the globe .
Be considerate & send this warning to whomever you know.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS:


You should be alert during the next days:
Do not open any message with an attached filed called

'Invitation' regardless of who sent it.

It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which 'burns' the whole hard disc C of your computer.


This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list, that is why you should send this e-mail to all your contacts.


It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.

If you receive a mail called 'invitation', though sent by a friend, do not open it and shut down your computer immediately.

This is the worst virus announced by CNN, it has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever.

This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus.

This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.

thanks to druga

 

[RIDER]

Commentary:
This "warning" message claims that an email with an attached file named "Invitation" contains a virus that will destroy the hard drive of the infected computer. According to the message, the attachment opens an "Olympic Torch, which "burns" the whole hard disc C of your computer". However, the claims in the message are untrue. The message is simply a rehashed version of the long running Virtual Card for You virus hoax (see example below) and should not be taken seriously.

An examination of the two messages reveals that they share very similar wording and attempt to perpetrate the same falsehoods. Both hoaxes claim that the information has been announced by CNN, which is untrue. There is nothing on the CNN website about a virus like the one described in the message. Both also claim that the virus has been classified by Microsoft as "the most destructive virus ever" and that the virus "destroys the Zero Sector" of the infected hard drive. These claims are unfounded.

There is no mention of such a virus on any of the major anti-virus company websites other than articles debunking the "warning". McAfee, the company named in the message, dismisses the warning as a hoax.

If you receive this hoax message, please do not forward it to others. Virus hoaxes such as this one do nothing more than clutter inboxes and spread misinformation. If you receive a virus warning via email, always take the time to check the veracity of the message on a reputable anti-virus or anti-hoax website.

Update: 16th March 2007
In March 2007, I began receiving examples of the hoax that had the following tacked to the top of the message:
I checked snopes.com and this is for real..

And also checked on Hoax-Slayer.com

And found that this is a real virus.
Apparently, someone has tried to add some legitimacy to the hoax by pretending that he or she has checked the information on this site as well as Snopes.com and found that its was true. However, the only information about the "invitation" virus on Hoax-Slayer.com is the article you are currently reading and other articles that clearly identify it as a hoax. Moreover, urban legend site Snopes.com also classifies the message as a hoax.

This tactic is one that is quite commonly used by pranksters. Just because a message claims that information has been verified on a hoax or virus information site does not mean that it is true. Always check such claims for yourself before forwarding the message.

 

[RIDER]

This "virus warning" combines two earlier email forwards that have circulated widely as completely separate messages.

The first part of the message claims that an email about the supposed capture and hanging of Osama Bin Laden contains a dangerous virus that will seriously damage your computer. While the Bin Laden tactic has actually been used in the past to distribute malware, the warning is highly exaggerated and significantly outdated.


More information about the Osama Bin Laden Virus Emails

The second part of the message claims that an email with the subject line "Invitation" carries a virus that can open an "Olympic Torch" that will destroy the hard-drive of the infected computer. However, this claim is totally unfounded. There is not, nor has there ever been, a virus like the one described in the second part of the message. This part of the message is simply a reworking of an even older virus hoax.


More information, about the Olympic Torch Invitation Virus Hoax

The message contains false and misleading information and it should not be forwarded. Before forwarding any virus warning email, always take the time to check the veracity of the claims in the message at a reputable anti-virus or anti-hoax website. Sending warning messages about non-existent viruses or messages that distort the truth about real viruses is entirely counterproductive and only adds to the ongoing problems caused by computer security threats.
Thanks TO NAVI