Virus Alerts - Hoax or Real Threat?

By Jenny Leitzke, Membership Coordinator, Tampa PC Users Group
Info@tpcug.org

Thank you to Computer Users for your defense against everyday computer attackers. Many of you receive emails addressing such concerns of new viruses that could very well destroy our beloved computer, and many of you act quickly to get that information out to as many people as you know. Please check these email alerts you receive to verify them as a real threat before you take any action. Much of the harm is by hoax emails, which are designed to jam up email servers with unnecessary emails. McAfee and other virus software companies place important information on their sites about which emails do address Real viruses threats or just Hoax chain letters, to get everyone alarmed of an impending threat. Book mark any one of the three sites below as sources to check when you receive these emails.

McAfee Security Alert Page
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/alert.htm

Symantec/Norton
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

Topic Alert Verification Page
http://www.topic.on.ca/VirusOrHoax/

Note: "It Takes Guts to Say 'Jesus'" is just another hoax message that has found its way into the netstream.

Another VERY easy way (and we love easy) is to go to http://www.google.com and type in the name of the warning you just received. You will easily find several entries that will instantly tell you who has already verified your email as real or hoax.

Thanks for looking out for each other. Friends and Family are the best for watching our backs. u