Virus Hoax?

[Joel]

I believe this is ANOTHER Virus Hoax. As far as I know that file is the Microsoft Debugger for Java. Anyway, can anyone confirm? I've had a similar email to this before and it was a hoax.

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Sorry guys I received this email from a friend in NZ and think you should check the following just incise your virus scanner didn't pick it up. What a pain.
There is a lot of vicious hackers out there. Good luck. Px

Dear family, friends and everyone on my email list

I have just received on email from a colleague of my husband's to say that she will have sent us a virus and stating that the virus had been found on her hard drive. It is AUTOMATICALLY SENT TO ALL CONTACTS STORED IN THE ADDRESS LIST. It was on my computer until I deleted it. You are one of the contacts on my list. This means that you have most likely received it too. I understand that the virus stays hidden for 14 days before destroying the operating system.

To eliminate the virus you must do the following
before the 14 days is up:
(Print these instructions out for future reference)

1) Click on "START" and then click on "FIND"
2) In FIND click on "FILES or FOLDERS" then type the
name of the file: jdbgmgr.exe
3) Make sure you are searching in C DRIVE
4) The virus has an icon like a Grey Teddy Bear. DO
NOT DOUBLE CLICK ON IT OR OPEN IT! Click only once
and DELETE it immediately!
5) Then EMPTY your RECYCLE BIN, as it is still active
in the bin.
6) If you find the virus, please send this message to
all the people in your computer e-mail address book,
before the virus causes damage to their hard drives.
If in doubt, contact your computer specialist ( before
14 days)!

It was easy to delete with these instructions.

I am sorry about this - although I had no control over it!

JDF

[Dale61]

Joel, you are correct in that this is a HOAX.

Ignore it, let you mates know, let everyone here know, that this is just another cruel HOAX.

"Racetracks are for racing, roads are for getting there."

[Joel]

I have emailed basically everyone on my list.

JDF

[Bones]

Yeah it basically tells you to delete some infected file BUT it is in fact something to do with Java in your browser. If you do as it says you will no longer be able to access some stuff on the net...

[Dale61]

Joel, if you have forwarded the HOAX to all on your mailing list, I'd suggest you send them all an apology, explain to them it was just a HOAX, and let them know that if their surfing capabilities now suffer, that the removal of this file is the reason why.

Go to Symantec (http://security2.norton.com/ssc/home.asp?j=1&langid=us&venid=sym&plfid=20&pkj=MJDFIVFWMFKPXKBQWNQ) and/or McAfee (http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus/default.asp?) and/or Trend Micro (http://www.antivirus.com/) to find out more about this, and they may have a patch or a suggestion on how to retrieve this file.

For future reference Joel, an email virus will come only as an attachment, and will only become 'live' when you click to open the attachment. The above mentioned sites will give you further info about this.

"Racetracks are for racing, roads are for getting there."

[Joel]

Dale - I received the email and then emailed everyone to tell them not to believe it if they get it sent to them and it is a hoax.

JDF



[This message has been edited by Joel (edited 28 May 2002).]

[Mike]

Not quite accurate Dale.

The current crop of viruses (in particular Klez)work use an ActiveX vulnerability in IE / Outlook Express 5.xx and will activate just on previewing an infected email or by visiting a web site that is configured to exploit the weakness. You don't have to do anything to an attachment, it self launches.

That vulnerability can be removed by upgrading IE and Outlook Express to version 6 or by applying a patch available on the Microsoft site to remove the vulnerability from version 5.xx.

[Dale61]

OK Joel, just that you never mentioned if you had emailed the original, promting the removal of the file, or that in fact it is a hoax.

If you go to the URL's I included in my last post, you can use these in future if you ever receive another email virus warning, etc. I find them extremely useful and always refer to them before forwarding any virus related emails.

"Racetracks are for racing, roads are for getting there."

[Dale61]

OK, thanks to all. I have just learnt something new. WooHoo.

Maybe I need to read all the definitions again and interpret them better.



"Racetracks are for racing, roads are for getting there."