Fighting malware and spam

Frog in a blender

Please note that the exact message listed here is a hoax. That is, the original BLENDER.EXE and FISH.EXE files were intended as joke programs. Neither contained 'terrible' viruses set to 'wipe out the hard drive on 28 May'.
Regardless of the original intention, however, it is reasonably likely that the two executables still circulating could be infected with file viruses. They may have been infected following execution on an infected machine.
Therefore do not execute the attachments (nor, for that matter, any other email attachments), simply delete. This serves as a reminder as to how frustrating hoaxes can be, since they confuse users.

Hoax text

If you've had forwarded Frog blender and Fish bowl to you, PLEASE get
rid of them ASAP. Seems there is a terrible virus attached to them set
to go on MAY 28th. If you do not delete them, your hard drive will get
wiped out. Please delete these two immediately and run your virus
protection.

Please be advised: That I have been informed that the joke regarding the
frog being splattered in a blender and the similar fish joke both
contain viruses set to execute on the 28th of May and if you still have
them on your hard drive to delete them a.s.a.p.

The programs were called blender.exe and fish.exe. PLEASE make sure
everyone has deleted it and run their virus check program.

This virus is the worst one yet - it wipes your harddrive completely.
Remember to check your temp. files as well to make they are not lurking
there, and also to make sure that you empty out your Recycle / Delete
bins.
	

VB reminds users: if you receive a virus warning message, do not forward the message to all your friends/colleagues, as it may suggest in the text. If you have verified that the message is a hoax, simply delete it. If you are unsure, forward the message to your IT administrator. Failing that, forward it to hoax@virusbtn.com. It is possible that you may receive a hoax email with a file attachment. Since it is possible that these attachments could be infected VB advises such files to be be treated with the same caution as any other unexpected message attachment and urges users not to open them.

Poll

Virus Bulletin

• Does the punishment fit the crime?
• Prophet and loss
• All your MP3s are belong to us
• Malware teaching considered harmful?
• Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo
• Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2008
• The problem of backscatter – part 1