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Jun. 4, 02:00 EDT
Expose a hoax, expunge a virus
Tyler Hamilton
WHERE IT'S @
Thousands of Internet users around the world got duped last week when they received an e-mail from friends, family and colleagues instructing them to scan and eliminate a dangerous virus from their computers.
The virus, called sulfnbk.exe, was allegedly capable of destroying computer hard drives when the clock struck midnight on June 1, 2001.
With little time to waste, well-meaning people who caught wind of the virus quickly sent e-mail warnings out to everybody they knew. They told people to type sulfnbk.exe into the ``Find Files or Folders'' area of Microsoft Windows to see whether their computer contained the virus.
If the virus did appear, the next step was to immediately delete the file, then empty the desktop Recycle Bin to make sure the virus was properly disposed of.
The problem, if there ever was one, is that sulfnbk.exe isn't a virus at all. In fact, it's a legitimate Windows file that helps the operating system handle longer-than-normal document and file names.
Needless to say, many people - including my better half - were kicking themselves after realizing they were taking part in a global hoax. Not only did they eliminate a useful file from their computer, but they also convinced many of their closest friends to do the same.
As Homer Simpson would say, ``Doh!''
It's akin to throwing a bucket of kerosene on a fire because the person next to you - maybe your mother, maybe your doctor - truly thought they were handing over a bucket of water.
Now, would anybody not believe their mom? Would anybody even think of challenging their doctor?
Such hoaxes put us all in a very awkward position. On the one hand, we're constantly hearing about the proliferation of dangerous computer viruses and the need to eradicate them quickly. Now, we have to worry about being unintentionally misled by a trusted person who's merely trying to help the cause.
There's no question that computer viruses are top-of-mind for Canadian Internet users. A study released last week from Ipsos-Reid found that 78 per cent of Net surfers fear they'll eventually get hit by a virus. It also found that 46 per cent have already been stung.
According to a recent survey from the Computer Security Institute in San Francisco, 94 per cent of North American companies detected computer viruses on their corporate networks in 2001, up from 85 per cent a year earlier.
As viruses evolve, mutate and generally get smarter, stronger and more deceptive, you can expect that percentage to rise even further. Remember Chernobyl? Mellisa? The Love Bug? AnnaKournikova? Well, you ain't seen nothing yet.
In the past month we've seen the Mawanella and Homepage worms, and the Jennifer Lopez virus. The Lopez bug is a mutation of Chernobyl that promises people a naked picture of the Latin pop star if they click on a file attachment.
Now what 14-year-old boy is going to resist that?
With so many bugs and worms making their way through the Net, it's no wonder the entire world has been put on Def Con 1 - everybody from the network systems guy at The Toronto Star to the stay-at-home mom who's running an online retail operation is on alert.
As concerned, eager-to-help citizens of the Web, we're quick to use the communications power of e-mail to warn our fellow Netheads. And why not?
If viruses can worm their way through the Internet at the speed of light, then why shouldn't our virus warnings?
But with our guard up and our over-anxious finger on the mouse trigger, there's a serious danger of overreacting to hoaxes and, in the process, doing more harm than good.
Why would a malicious programmer even create a virus if the average Netizen could be tricked into self-destruction?
``The typical Canadian Internet user is not an expert on the `Net,' '' says Chris Ferneyhough, vice-president of technology research at Ipsos-Reid.
``So they aren't likely to have the know-how about what types of e-mail messages to avoid and what to do when they get hit. There's a huge education issue here.''
So what's a person to do? First of all, stop, take a deep breath, and think things through. Internet viruses generally don't harm anything if the attachments that are carried in e-mails are never opened.
When a virus strikes, take deep breath and think things through
If you suspect your e-mail or an attachment is carrying a virus, there's no harm in deleting it.Second, if you suspect there's a virus already sitting in your hard drive, get the latest virus software from a company such as Symantec Inc. (http://www.symantec.com) or Network Associates Inc. (http://www.networkassociates.com). Also, check out these Web sites regularly for the latest news on viruses and hoaxes.
Finally, if you get an e-mail from a friend, your spouse, your mom or any other trusting soul that is warning you about a possible virus in your computer, don't blindly follow a list of instructions and begin deleting files in haste.
Take your time - viruses and hoaxes are designed to trick people who are in a hurry.
Chances are, it is a hoax. Before taking any drastic action, try to feel out the situation by talking to a few friends or hunting for clues on the Internet. At http://www.symantec.com, you'll find an area that lists the latest hoaxes.
Such lists are updated regularly, and it's probably a good habit to visit them every week or so.
Tyler Hamilton writes about issues in the world of technology and the Internet every Monday in @Biz. Reach him at thamilt@thestar.ca