New Virus

sdanseo

Ok, first catch me if theres a thread on this already, ive checked and cant see one.

Ive been reliably informed of a new virus that deletes the 'zero file' in your CPU and renders your computer useless - the following copied from an email i got:

1) if you receive an email with the subject heading a) A card for you
or

b) A virtual Card for you

DO NOT OPEN IT

Even if you know the name of the person that sent you the email. The virus is capturing the names from computer address books and then sending out the email from the address book of one person to all the members in it, so you think you are getting a greeting from a family member or friend but in fact it is a lethal virus.

What happens, is that the email itself (with no attachment) locks up your set, and instinctively the person does ctrl+alt+del to restart the computer, this infact deletes the 'zero file' on your CPU (central processing
unit) and your computer is rendered useless.

Like I said ye could all know about it, but just a hint I got, thought i'd pass it on Equally, if it sounds like jibberish, let me know so i can stop reconfiguring outlook's preview panel (which is advised against because it views the inside of infected mail)

djmarkus

'zero file'?

I've been working with computers for quite a while and this is the first time i've heard of a zero file in the CPU or even any kind of file system stored in the CPU, in fact a cpu's memory (cache and registers) are all volotile memory, which basically means its all wiped when the CPU loses power(when you turn your computer off), so it's basically impossible for a virus to damage your CPU.

Saying this the virus will probably do some standard virus like behavour like installing a service that maxes out the CPU or deletes some critical windows system files so dont go opening it to be on the safe side!

biko

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/virtual.card.for.you.html

djmarkus

biko wrote:

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/virtual.card.for.you.html

Sector 0 makes alot more sense. although im pretty sure a low level format would save the hard disk, but obviosly not the data.

Orion

Jebus! I really hope you're taking the pi$$. Virtual card is a hoax that's about 6 years old - it's one of the first ones recorded. Always ... I mean ALWAYS ... check www.snopes.com before forwarding on any of these emails.

And whoever you say 'reliably informed' obviously isn't a reliable source.

sdanseo

From the looks of this it seems the well-meaning sender (who is well knowledged on computers, hence 'reliable' ) was caught out, and me as well. However, as im clueless about it i thought it was safer to put a warning out.

Macros42 wrote:

Always ... I mean ALWAYS ... check www.snopes.com before forwarding on any of these

Hadn't heard of this, will do that in the future:D

djmarkus

was caught out

so you actually opened the file?

DonkeyStyle \o/

pfff what kind of bored-shítless people come up with these things?
I don't understand ... are they just attention whores?

Anyway, I'm not worried, I run a flashing ad-bar at the top of my browser that protects my CPUs precious zero file at all times. :v: :rolleyes:

Tom Dunne

Yeah, I got this e-mail from a computer illiterate, though well-meaning friend (after she sent it to 20 other e-mail addresses).

Complete nonsense.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/card.asp

mathew

from the symantec website that was quoted above to justify this threat... the mail is clasified as a hoax

Virtual Card For You
Type: Hoax

Hoax
Hoaxes usually arrive in the form of an email. Please disregard the hoax emails - they contain bogus warnings usually intent only on frightening or misleading users. The best course of action is to merely delete these hoax emails.

sdanseo

djmarkus wrote:

so you actually opened the file?

No, no no I mean we believed the nonsense

Orion

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote:

pfff what kind of bored-shítless people come up with these things?
I don't understand ... are they just attention whores?

They're just morons. There's hundreds of these things going around. Kumite describes them as social viruses.

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote:

Anyway, I'm not worried, I run a flashing ad-bar at the top of my browser that protects my CPUs precious zero file at all times. :v: :rolleyes:

LOL

Capt'n Midnight

sdonn_1 wrote:

No, no no I mean we believed the nonsense

Did you look the reference on any virus web site
www.sophos.com
www.secunia.org
www.cert.org

anything that refers to a virus warning from these guys is a Hoax
www.microsoft.com
www.cnn.com

any warning with an exclaimation mark is a hoax

any warning suggesting you forward it is a hoax

any warning with a valid link to an AntiVirus site or major security site is a hoax

BUT THIS ONE IS REAL

Virus Alert

If you receive an e-mail entitled "Bad Times," delete it immediately! Do not open it! Apparently this one is pretty nasty. It will not only erase everything on your hard drive, it will also delete anything on disks within 20 feet of your computer.

It demagnetizes the strips on all of your credit cards. It reprograms your ATM access code, screws up the tracking on your VCR, and uses subspace field harmonics to scratch any CDs you attempt to play. It will program your phone auto dial to call only 1550 numbers. The virus will mix antifreeze into your fish tank. It will cause your toilet to flush while you are showering. It will drink all of your beer.

For God's sake, are you listening to me?

It will leave dirty underwear on the coffee table when you are expecting company. It will replace your shampoo with Veet and your Veet with Rogaine, all the while dating your current boy- or girlfriend behind your back and billing the hotel rendezvous to your Visa card, which has been wiped clean.

It will cause you to run with scissors and throw things in a way that is only fun till someone loses an eye. It will rewrite your backup files, change all of your active verbs to passive tense, and incorporate undetectable misspellings which will grossly change the interpretations of key sentences.

If the badness message is opened in a Windows environment, it will leave the toilet seat up and leave your hair dryer plugged in dangerously close to a full bathtub. It will not only remove the forbidden tags from your mattress and pillows, it will also refill your skim milk with whole milk.

Warn as many people as you can! If you don't send this to 5,000 people within 20 seconds, you'll expel gas so hard your right leg will spasm and shoot straight out in front of you, sending sparks that will ignite the person next to you!

Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.

biko

mathew wrote:

from the symantec website that was quoted above to justify this threat... the mail is clasified as a hoax

Justify this thread??? Hmm that's hardly why that was posted mate. Just letting the noobs read for themselves :v:

Message was/is: Always google virus warnings before forwarding...