E-mail virus warning!

[Tomtall]

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!
This e-mail is being distributed through countries around the globe, but mainly in the US and Israel.
Don't be inconsiderate; send this warning to whomever you know.
If you get an email along the lines of "Osama Bin Laden Captured" or "Osama Hanged" don't open the attachment.

[Dew1us]

here is more info on this that I found at:

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/bin-laden-captured.html


Osama Bin Laden Virus Emails
Summary:
Emails claim that Osama Bin Laden has been captured or hanged and ask recipients to open an attachment or follow a link for more information.

Status:
False, message leads to trojan

ExampleSubmitted, July 2005)
"Turn on your TV!!!

Osama Bin Laden has been captured. While CNN has no pictures at this point of time, the military channel (PPV) released some. I managed to capture a couple of these pictures off my TV. Ive attached a slideshow containing all the pictures I managed to capture. I apologize for the low quality, its the best I could do at this point of time. Hopefully CNN will have pictures and a video soon."

God bless the USA!


Commentary:
Emails are circulating that claim that Osama Bin Laden has been captured or has been found hanged. The information in these emails is false. Bin Laden has not been captured.

Opening the attachment that comes with these emails or clicking on a link in the message may install a malicious trojan on the recipient's computer. There are several versions of the message. Some carry an attachment that supposedly contains photographs of the capture. Others may include a link to a website that supposedly shows pictures or news footage of Osama Bin Laden's arrest.

Other malicious messages that used similar false information about Osama Bin Laden were also distributed in 2004.

As well as the trojan bearing messages themselves, a number of warning emails about the messages are being circulated. The emails warn recipients about the danger of opening messages about Bin Laden. Although the danger is real, the warning messages are seriously exaggerated. The trojan that comes with the Bin Laden emails is certainly malicious, but it is unlikely to damage the infected computer to such an extent that it cannot be repaired. One of these warnings is included below:

"Just now a message was received from the Israeli police:

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!!!

This e-mail is being distributed through countries around the globe, but mainly in the US and Israel."


Fake information about famous (or infamous) people is often used as a means of distributing email worms or trojans. In June, 2005 an email message about the apparent suicide of Michael Jackson directed recipients to a website that downloaded a trojan. Hackers and virus writers use many different ruses in order to trick recipients into infecting their computers.

If you receive a message similar to the ones shown above, DO NOT open any attachments that arrive with the email. DO NOT click on any links included in the email. The best way to protect yourself from threats of this nature is to ensure that your computer is protected by up-to-date anti-virus software and an Internet firewall.

[Mark 72@E]

A little friendly advice

Tom,

A little friendly advice (and I do mean friendly). When reporting computer viruses such as this please provide the correct information. Your statement that "your computer will crash" is incorrect.

Your computer will crash only if you are running Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP.

However if you are running a Macintosh this virus, as with most, has no affect whatsoever.

For fun, check out these videos, especially the one about viruses:

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

I urge everyone to "Think Different". Macs start out at $599 with free shipping.

Cheers!


To check my sources:

http://www.messagingpipeline.com/164300304

http://securityresponse.symantec.com...der.psyme.html

http://www.apple.com/macmini/

[Richard K.C. Mo.]

Yer Convincing Me!!!

Me Thinks Mac Will Certainly Hold my Int..
If for no other reason from what dan said about pics. and other graphics

Oh, remember you have to bite first.
Richard KCMo

[Bill Huson]

How to avoid viruses . . .

Never, EVER use Windoze outlook email program.

And, of course, never open an attachment from an unknown source.

[Mark 72@E]

Apple Store 1-800-MY-APPLE

David,

I would suggest calling the Apple Store at 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753). They can give you better answers (and faster) than I can. For multiple hard drives in the same box your Mac choices will narrow to the PowerMac G5.