Is there any truth in this???
I seem to remember someone saying that virus propagation via email as
described below is impossible???
Mike Elliott
______________________________ Reply Separator
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Subject: Virus Alert!
Author: Dave.D at BULL-UK29-ICARUS
Date: 09/12/96 09:43
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If anyone receives mail entitled: PENPAL GREETINGS! please delete it WITHOUT
reading it.
This is a warning for all internet users - there is a dangerous virus
propogating across the internet through an e-mail message entitled
"PENPAL GREETINGS!". DO NOT DOWNLOAD ANY MESSAGE ENTITLED "PENPAL GREETINGS!"
This message appears to be a friendly letter asking you if you are interested
in a penpal, but by the time you read this letter, it is too late. The "trojan
horse" virus will have already infected the boot sector of your hard drive,
destroying all of the data present. It is a
self-replicating virus, and once the message is read, it will
AUTOMATICALLY
forward itself to anyone who's e-mail address is present in YOUR
mailbox!
This virus will DESTROY your hard drive, and holds the potential to DESTROY
the hard drive of anyone whose mail is in your inbox, and who's mail is in
their inbox, and so on. If this virus remains unchecked, it has the potntial
to do a great deal of DAMAGE to computer networks worldwide!!!!
Please, delete the message entitled "PENPAL GREETINGS!" as soon as you see it!
And pass this message along to all of your friends and relatives, and the
other readers of the newsgroups and mailing lists which you are on, so that
they are not hurt by this dangerous virus!!!!
Date sent: 9-DEC-1996 12:49:27
> Is there any truth in this???
Sort of. The Mail IS the Virus, spreading across E-mail.
> I seem to remember someone saying that virus propagation via email as
At least impossible until such time as 'Smart' mailers auto-open Word
Processor files that can carry Virus info in the MACRO facility. But no one
has developed them yet. The Word Virus isn't dangerous, and auto open isn't
something mailers generally do.
In message <1209132421-Re: Virus Alert* @MHS>
> M.J.Elliott@uk22p.bull.co.uk writes:
Aw, GAWD! Why is it there's always _someone_ who goes for the hoax and
sends
the entire thing to a mailing list? Wise up people! Does no-one remember
the "Good Times" email virus?
> I seem to remember someone saying that virus propagation via email as
Cripes.
> Mike Elliott
Not (as far as I know) very easily done. Anyone capable of doing this kind of
programming is probably locked away in a nice, warm padded cell.
> self-replicating virus, and once the message is read, it will
Yeah.. right.
And, pray tell, does it somehow magically turn on your modem, connect you to
your server and upload all the forwards? I bet it does...
> potntial to do a great deal of DAMAGE to computer networks
It's SOOOO damaging it hasn't been heard of before now. IBM haven't warned us,
Microsoft aren't scared and Demon Internet rpoviders haven't included this
warning in the nes bulletin. _That's_ how scared they are.
Now please, it's off topic and very annoying.
> [quoted text omitted]
> Is there any truth in this???
Mike, the warning /itself/ is a virus, albeit a memetic not
information-theoretic one. The propogation of some kind of software
virus is impossible through the mere act of reading a piece of email. Consider
the number of reader types, on the number of platforms throughout the Net and
you'll see why its prima facia ludicrous.
On the other hand, the /idea/ of an email-passed software virus is a
memetic virus started, some believe, with the original GOOD TIMES! scare. It
too was a ludicrously described virus with the same promiscuous properties,
and the damage it did is still being felt today; not in the number of hard
drives it destroyed, for it could destroy none, but in the amount of time
spent debunking its still sporadic outbreaks and disk space dedicated to
holding files debunking it. Now, we see a third way it can be damaging, in
spawning mutant variants which people like myself spend time and space
debunking.
Don't worry about PENPAL GREETINGS!. Its not a threat to you or your machine,
but do keep in mind the capabilities and limits of the tools you use because
they are the surest guide to the `possible.'
And, as always, be on the lookout for memetic virii, wherever they may
occur, be it email-passed lunacy or make money fast postings.
yep, 2 paragraphs into it and I can tell you it isn't even slightly realistic
bullshit....
> Don't worry about PENPAL GREETINGS!. Its not a threat to you or your
So....has anyone out there with creative juices flowing taken a stab at
converting either the 'good times' or 'penpal greetings' virus into
FT or DS/SQ2 format??
Will a wavegun take one out?
:-)
Mk