How do I tell if a Virus Warning is Real?

E-Mail is an easy way to communicate quickly with large numbers of people. This fact also means that E-Mail has become a rapid way in which rumors and hoaxes are propagated on a large scale.

One type of hoax is the "Virus Warning". A Virus Warning is a message that describes a new and destructive virus and asks the recipient to "Please forward" or "Pass this along". Many good intentioned people are fooled by these messages and do forward them to everyone they know. The effect is lost time and sometimes large numbers of e-mail messages that flood mailing lists, mail servers, and newsgroups.

One of the most well know of these Virus Hoaxes is the "Good Times Virus" (see description on the right). There are however many more types of Virus Hoaxes that very from personal stories to seemingly professional warnings.

There are many possible reasons that these Virus Warnings are created. Some of these include:

  • Seeing how far a letter will go.
  • To harass another person (include an e-mail address and ask everyone to send mail, e.g. Jessica Mydek).
  • To damage a person's or organization's reputation.
  • To kill some other chain letter (e.g. Make Money Fast)
  • To bilk money out of people using a pyramid scheme.

You can often identify a Virus Hoax by determining if the message you received will accomplish one or more of these goals.

Also be wary of messages the invoke authorities without providing specific references - if the message says "the FCC announced" this statement should include a URL that leads specific information dealing with the content of the message you received. It is recommended that you verify the message by checking the URL provided for further information.

There are many Web Sites that monitor E-Mail Virus Hoaxes and Myths. These sites (List of URLs provided below) are another good method of validating a message that you have received. To avoid spreading Hoaxes it is recommended that you Don't Forward Any Questionable Messages that you receive.

Sources of Information about Viruses and Virus Hoaxes

http://www.vmyths.com/ - Vmyths.com - Truth About Computer Virus Myths & Hoaxes

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html - Symantec - Online Encyclopedia by Virus or Hoax Name

http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/ - Hoaxbusters

The Good Times Virus Hoax

Description: This "virus" does not exist.

Good Times is not a virus; it is a complete hoax. There is currently no virus that has the characteristics ascribed to Good Times. The e-mail Good Times "warning" was written by a couple of pranksters on America Online (AOL) sometime in 1994. Since then, it has traveled the Internet electronic mail system, spreading fear wherever it crops up. The message is just convincing enough that people spread the news to all of their friends. Needless to say, it has propagated itself well over the years.

Please ignore any messages regarding this supposed "virus" and do not pass on any messages regarding it. Passing on messages about this hoax on serves only to further propagate it.