Causes users to delete files
Published:
31 May 2001 y., Thursday
A hoax e-mail warning people that their PCs may contain a virus called sulfnbk.exe—that will be triggered on 1 June—seems to be propagating as a result of mass hysteria.
The e-mail, which was originally written in Portugese and was reported to be doing the rounds in Brazil last month, has now been translated and appears to be appearing throughout the UK, advising people to delete a harmless Microsoft Windows utility—called sulfnbk.exe—from their hard disks. Antivirus experts were quick to point out that the e-mail does not contain a worm, and is being passed around simply by well-meaning people alarmed at its contents.
The hoax message indicates that the virus was found on every PC in somebody’s office,and that it was not detectable with virus software. In fact, the file is on every PC that has Windows installed, and
is not detected by antivirus software because it is not—and does not normally contain—a virus. Sulfnbk.exe is a Microsoft Windows utility that is used to restore long file names, according to Symantec, and deleting it could cause that feature to cease working properly. Experts believe the propagation of the Sulfnbk.exe e-mail is caused mainly by confusion. Vmyths.com, a Web site that debunks spurious virus warnings, said the confusion may have been heightened by the fact that e-mails were surfacing that contained a copy of the Sulfnbk.exe file that was infected with a virus. But this virus, called W32.Magistr.24876@mm, is well-known and easily removed with any good antivirus software.
Šaltinis:
msnbc.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Software company announced new structure_ of it_s business.
more »
Founders of a new antispam service say they have developed a system to convince spammers to remove specific e-mail addresses from their mailing lists
more »
A vote on the European Union's proposed directive on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, which has been compared to a controversial U.S. law, has been pushed back to November
more »
Microsoft on Tuesday launched a new version of Works Suite, its budget software package for consumers
more »
Rather than using a multitude of rules to determine what may or may not be spam, challenge-response software takes the approach of a club bouncer to keep undesirables out of users' inboxes
more »
Japan, China, South Korea Agree to Develop Non-Windows Software, Official Says
more »
In his ongoing bid to colonize the Internet travel market, Barry Diller's Hotels.com has terminated a contract with Travelocity
more »
Finns Rush to Register Internet Domains
more »
search.lt presents newest links
more »
A Department of Defense (DOD) investigative team is researching the recent hack of a Navy system that gained access to 13,000 purchase cards issued by Citibank
more »
Microsoft deserves some blame for the rapidly spreading Web virus
more »