Should Virus Warning Emails be Forwarded? April 7, 2008
Posted by Administrator in : Internet and Business, Tech Support , trackbackWhenever a significant new virus or other computer security threat emerges, it is not unusual for various warnings about the threat to begin circulating via email.
While the willingness to let others know about a potential computer security threat is commendable, forwarding a “virus warning” email may not be the best way to approach the issue. Like other email forwards, they tend to mutate as they travel from inbox to inbox. Even if the original message was accurate, ongoing modifications can mean that the information can quite quickly lose its relevance. The perceived danger can be significantly exaggerated and important details can become false or misleading. Also, such messages often continue to circulate for months or even years after the described threat has subsided.
The Current one circulating the net is called the “Life is beautiful Hoax. This hoax started circulating in early 2002 and it has been passed around ever since. In spite of a great deal of online exposure, the hoax tends to resurge from time to time and its rate of circulation increases dramatically for a few months. As hoax emails go, this is one of the most “successful”. Perhaps because of the apparent destructiveness of the “virus” and the urgent tone of the warning, people are apt to forward the message without much forethought. Like many other hoaxes, it capitalizes on the recipient’s desire to help other Internet users by warning them of a perceived threat. — from Internet Tip of the Day
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