urgent virus alert - everyone read

I have just been sent this......

PLEASE INFORM EVERYONE

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, but mainly in the US and Israel. 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 for letting us know will watch out for them and will pass it on to my friends, cheers honey bee

 

See this link before you or anyone does anything HB.

What you've been sent is a hoax I think.
Such things are not uncommon. There have been other ones in which recipients are advised to delete certain key files from their PC's operating system (with dire consequences!)

Most of the good anti-virus software suppliers have up to the day lists of current threats and it's a good idea to check with them when you get an emailed "warning".

It's a sad fact that some folk get their jollies by creating real viruses and some who don't have the technical nonce to do that, get theirs by sending "chain reaction" emails which rely on decent, concerned folk passing them on.

While good, regularly updated AV software and a firewall will afford very good protection against malware, such software can't protect against emails that are intrinsically non-malevalent and rely on the PC owner to do the damage his/her self.

http://www.sophos.com/security/hoaxes/olympic.html
Anti-virus software reviews. You pays your money and makes your choice :
http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

[ 28. September 2006, 11:44 PM: Message edited by: Dave W ]

 

Just make sure that you have a very good virus blocker and that you keep it up to date. I have AVG now and prefer it to Norton.

 

HB, THANKS FOR LETTING US KNOW. I use the computer for business I had Mcafee sucurity soft ware put in and it stops 90% of the scams and viruses getting through.

 

Wether its a hoax or not thanks for bringing it to our attention Honey Bee.Agree with Hornbeam 100% keep your antivirus and spyware up to date.Any emails that you dont recognise delete them strait away if they are important people will resend them to you if they dont the email wasn't that important.

 

To be perfectly honest, I couldn't see where anyone would even contemplate opening such an e-mail!

I only open e-mails from people I know. Perhaps I am a bit insular! :D

 

To the advise re spyware and anti-virus, I would add the importance of a firewall - especially if your using broadband.

I use Norton which now contains anti spyware - and seems to do the business for me.

 

Ive got Norton Internet security 2005
Norton anti spy( comes with BT Broadband not sure of it yet)
Spybot search and destroy
Ad Aware
AShampoo Winoptimiser
Seem to do a fairly good job of keeping the cr*p out of my system as well as my Windows firewall.

 

Looks like belt and braces Beefy!
Doubt if a gnat could penetrate that lot if your Norton virus definitions are up to date.

 

Except for the Norton Avirus the rest is all free to down load so there is really no excuse for not keeping it updated .Dont want a gnat in my computer either Dave W :D

 

I too received this notice but thought it was just a scam to invest in the various names that was mentioned,i find that Spybot,Avg,and Adware are doing enough for me

 

I have a Mac computer and can't remember the last time viruses were written that affected them!

 

Funny you should say that, Liz. My friend has just had her Mac zapped and written off by a lightning strike. She toyed with the idea of going IBM but was so convinced that her Mac was safe as houses, she decided to replace it with another!

BTW, macleaf, how would you know whether your virus/spyware is enough until it was too late!!!

I use AVG and Spybot.

But I'm going BB next week!! Yahoooo!!!

 

The old saying comes to mind that is: if its not broken why fix it: