From the number of e-mails sent to me about the SULFNBK
virus, I can tell that many readers of Rumor Mill are NOT on the RuMills Mailing list.
The RuMill Mailing List is for alerts and VERY, VERY important messages. I send about three emails a month over this list. I ONLY send information that I feel is VERY important. All Rumor Mill News Readers should be on this list because I sometime FORGET to post the information I send to the list on the webpage!
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If you want to see how many messages I send a month, here is the hyperlink to the main page of the RuMills Mailing List:
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Here is the Virus Hoax email I sent to the RuMills mailing list on the 27th.
Subj: SULFNBK: Really Good Virus hoax -- Almost fell for it!!
Date: 5/27/2001 2:45:51 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: Rayelan
To: rmnews_Daily_Emails@egroups.com
From Rayelan:
I received a really good virus hoax from a very reliable source who fell for it too. I was so sure it was real that I called Compaq technical support to see how to get it out of my computer!
I was informed that the so-called "virus" is in fact a Microsoft Program which comes with the Windows 95/98 operating system and can be used to backup and restore long filenames.
Thank God I called them BEFORE I deleted it.
In case you get any other virus hoaxes that sound REAL, take the time to check them out before you do something to you computer. If I had deleted this file, I would have hundreds of files with NO NAMES!!
Because of nearly falling for a hoax and taking actions that would have deleted an EXE file from my computer, I just subscribed to the McAfee Virus Dispatch. If you want to be alerted to the REAL viruses, sign up, it is free!
http://dispatch.mcafee.com/
If you trust NORTON more than McAfee, here is the URL to the NORTON page that has virus information.
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/
Here is the message from the "Virus Hoax" page, as well as the URL for the page.
With these three sources, NONE of us should fall for a virus hoax again, and we will be forewarned when the REAL viruses come along!
I have inserted the "Hoax" I received at the end! It is 'slightly' different from the one printed on the 'hoax page'.
__________
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/hoaxes/sulfnbk.html
Home Virus info Hoaxes & scares
Name: SULFNBK
Type: Virus hoax
Description:
SULFNBK.EXE is a program which comes with the Windows 95/98 operating system and can be used to backup and restore long filenames.
Although it is possible for the file to be infected by a virus, it has also been the subject of a hoax which has been distributed in several languages.
Please note: The W32/Magistr-A virus is known to infect the file SULFNBK.EXE (this is unconnected with the hoax) so Sophos recommends users delete the file if they ever receive it as an email attachment.
Here is the text of the virus hoax in English, Spanish Portuguese and Dutch:
English version:
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU LOOK INTO YOUR COMPUTERS AND CHECK IF YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING VIRUS: sulfnbk.exe
IF ANYBODY HAS THIS VIRUS IN C:\, DELETE IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT ATTACKS ON NEXT DAY 25 OF THE MONTH MAY AND WILL DELETE ALL FILES ON YOUR PC.
THIS VIRUS CAME WITH E-MAIL AND IS INVISIBLE FOR VIRUS SCANNERS. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE TO OTHER PEOPLE.
[Spanish Portuguese and Dutch versions deleted]
Important:
Many virus hoaxes
* falsely claim to describe an extremely dangerous virus
* use pseudo-technical language to make impressive-sounding (but impossible) claims
* falsely claim that the report was issued or confirmed by a well-known company
* ask you to forward it to all your friends and colleagues
As usual, you are urged not to pass on warnings of this kind, as the continued re-forwarding of hoaxes like this simply wastes time and email bandwidth.
It is possible that you may receive a hoax via email with a file attached. Obviously, such file attachments should be treated with caution as they may be virus infected. Sophos recommends deleting virus hoax emails, whether they contain file attachments or not.
Sophos suggests a policy to help prevent hoaxes from spreading in your company.
_____________
This is the copy of the virus hoax I received. R.
ACT BEFORE JUNE 1 ON THIS VIRUS WARNING THAT IS NOT PICKED UP BY ANTI-NORTON AND OTHER ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAMMES
Dear friends,
I received this virus warning Sunday afternoon, May 27 from Paul Swann. I followed the instructions and sure enough, my computer was infected!! I've got anti-virus software and it did not pick it up! Please read the following carefully.
URGENT. A VIRUS could be in your computer files now, dormant but
will become active on June 1. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS BELOW TO CHECK
IF YOU HAVE IT AND TO REMOVE IT NOW.
It was brought to my attention an hour ago that a virus is in circulation via
email. I looked for it and to my surprise I found it on my computer!!
Please follow the directions and remove it from yours NOW!!!!!!!
It only takes a few minutes.
No Virus software can detect it. It will become active on June 1, 2001.
It might be too late by then. It wipes out all files and folders on
the hard drive.
This virus travels thru E-mail and migrates to the
'C:\windows\command' folder. To find it and get rid of it off of
your computer, do the following.
Go to the "START" button.
Go to "FIND" or "SEARCH"
Go to "FILES & FOLDERS"
Make sure the find box is searching the "C:" drive.
Type in; SULFNBK.EXE
Begin search.
If it finds it, highlight it.
Go to 'File' and delete it.
Close the Find Dialog box
Open the Recycle Bin
Find the file and delete it from the Recycle bin
You should be safe.
The bad part is: You need to contact everyone you have sent ANY
E-mail to in the past few months. Many major companies have found this
virus on their computers. Please help your friends !!!!!!!!
DO NOT RELY ON YOUR ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE. McAFEE and NORTON CANNOT DETECT IT BECAUSE IT DOES NOT BECOME A VIRUS UNTIL JUNE 1ST.
WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT OPEN THE FILE!!!
and also delete this message, for safety's sake.
