What are virus hoaxes | Complete Security

The virus hoax is a fake virus report similar to last year's chain mail. Virus hoaxes are threatening and threatening, unlike old chain letters that promised all sorts of good luck and big bucks when forwarding letters to X individuals. Unlike viruses, virus hoaxes do not self-replicate. People who transfer them want to be fooled by the threat (to help) to warn others or react kneeling to share something unusual in their inbox.

How does a virus hoax start and spread?

1. Virus hoaxes are usually sent to an individual in one email or message, shared via the organization's internal network, transferred via a messaging app such as Whatsapp, or such as Facebook. It starts with being posted on social media.

2. Due to its vigilant content, well-meaning recipients forward it to friends, family, and colleagues, who continuously forward it to their friends, family, and colleagues.

3. Well-meaning friends, family and colleagues create their own version of the message, post it on social media and share it with IM groups. Like a Chinese whisper, the message can be distorted and it can be difficult to determine the source of the message or the possible truth.

Nine features of a typical virus hoax (including examples)

The first documented virus hoax was the 1988 2400 baud modem virus. Discovered in 1988, the great thyme virus the hoax was one of the most "successful" to date, regularly raising ugly heads and instigating a variety of equivalent hoaxes, including satire. bad times virus hoax. sulfnbx.exe (2001) is typical of more harmful virus hoaxes and uses social engineering techniques to panic message recipients, in this case deleting legitimate files.

The signs of a virus hoax are:

1. Claims to be a virus and urges users to delete certain files on their computer unnecessarily. (Jdbgmgr.exe)

2. It appears to have returned from a trusted source or claims that the "virus" in question cannot be detected by trusted antivirus software. (Virtual card for you)

3. Sensationalists – A type of text characterized by excessive use of capital letters and exclamation marks. Terminology; Imminent Disaster Panic Tone Warning. (I'm your shadow)

4. Usually distributed by email, but more and more distributed by messaging apps and social media, message senders always encourage recipients to pass the message. (Sonia denies Rafuru)

5. Links to current events and discussions are often sparse in the news and on social media. (Trump affected by stroke)

6. Google easily contains multiple inaccuracies. They never stand up to the investigation. (Giraffe)

7. Misleading subject/name. (Free pizza)

8. Often obviously ridiculous / impossible. (Blow up the phone)

9. The name alone can look a lot like a real virus. (It's here)

Four samples of virus hoax opportunism and fatal accidents

Virus hoaxes are probably harmless. Or are they? Early hoax viruses used large amounts of bandwidth, wasted people's time (at some cost to businesses), and caused a great deal of anxiety and fear, especially for home users. In the early 2000s, what was a prank or a joke evolved into a more sinister one? As an example, a hoax virus message prompted the user to delete a file (probably a virus) unnecessarily. Today, hoax virus messages are widespread on social media networks. This is an ideal platform for widespread intimidation.

New entities are evolving. This is called a virus hoax hybrid. It is developing new possibilities, for example. Hosts real malware, marketing tools, automatic trolls, and Trojan horse behaviour. Let's check out some samples of how some virus hoaxes are transforming.

1. Irina (1996) – There are several cases of reputable companies using virus hoaxes irresponsibly in promotional stunts. Irina was in line with the penguins-published book, Irina's promotional stunt, researcher Graham Clary.

2. Red Team Virus (1998) – The actual virus can impersonate a virus hoax. The red team virus message contained an attachment to what appeared to be a pandemic hoax warning. The notice claimed that the .exe file was an antidote to the red team.

3. Mail Report Server (2006) – Typical virus hoaxes are harmless. However, there is a risk that you may attach a true virus during a follow-up hoax when the first sender is in the spotlight.

4. May God Always Bless (2011) – Traditionally emailed virus hoaxes spread rapidly through social media and messaging apps today. As an example, the old Olympic torch invitation virus hoax appeared on Facebook about five years after the first email version. Facebook is an ideal environment for spreading virus hoaxes. It's a satisfying moment (to provoke and receive a response). You can format text, decorate eye-catching emojis and graphics. It just guarantees likes and shares. It can be 24/7 media (someone always wakes up somewhere in the world).

In fact, Facebook has accused God of always blessing the hoax of the virus for its bold text features. A variation of the Linda Smith / Jason Lee virus hoax can destroy what the public considers Facebook to be a secure digital area for family satisfaction and connection in the online community. The user's imagination is beginning to see it suffering from a virtually abandoned syringe. When revealed as a hoax, those who convey the virus message (with all honesty and innocence) may feel embarrassed to be captured. Virus hoaxes, like stupid viruses, can be ridiculed and embarrassed by peers through posts.

Sources and best sites for verifying virus hoaxes

The virus hoaxes listed here originated primarily from subsequent websites. From time to time, quite one resource was unable to confirm the discovery date. In some cases, the date of invention is only the main reference made then on the Web found. In particular, the two main entries have a comprehensive alphabetical list of virus hoaxes.

• Symantec

• Sophos

• Wikipedia

• Hoax-Slayer

• Graham Cluley Blog

• Scam Buster

• Hoax Buster

• Various news articles and blogs

Before tackling suspicious emails, you need to check for some viruses. This article uses the above link in the virus hoax. Don't forward trendy hoax messages. However, you will want to share what you find interesting with your friends. Sharing a virus hoax can clog your internet server (necessarily, if everyone does so, your machine will be affected) and your contacts will be at risk.

What to do if you receive an epidemic hoax

Virus alerts from genuine sources do not require customers or the general public to forward messages. They can spread the message itself completely.

If you receive or transfer what appears to be a fashionable hoax, make sure it is actually a hoax (use the list of sources above).

• If the message may be a hoax of a virus, do not reply to it or forward it to others. Delete the message.

• If the forwarded message may be a hoax of a virus, send a confirmation URL with a polite message (and perhaps a link to the current article) to the sender of the message.

• If the message is a true virus notification, you do not need to reply to the sender. If you feel you need to warn your friends and family, include a link to an online page that confirms that the virus is genuine.

In any case, under no circumstances should you open the attachment or follow the link. As we have seen, viruses can be dangerous by pretending to be virus hoaxes.

If you receive or transfer something that looks like a fashionable hoax, make sure it's actually a hoax (use the list of sources above).

• If the message may be a hoax of a virus, do not reply or forward it to others. Delete the message.

• If the forwarded message may be a hoax of a virus, send a confirmation URL with a polite message (and perhaps a link to the current article) to the sender of the message.

• If the message is a true virus notification, you do not need to reply to the sender. If you think you need to warn your friends and family, include a link to an online page to verify that the virus is genuine.

In any case, under no circumstances should you open the attachment or follow the link. As we have seen, viruses can be dangerous by impersonating a virus hoax.