Received a Virus Warning from a reliable source....

[monmouth]

This one is real!!

Verified at http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp

CNN ANNOUNCED


A new virus has just been discovered that has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive ever. This virus was discovered yesterday afternoon by McAfee . This virus simply destroys Sector Zero from the hard disk, where vital information for its functioning is stored. This virus acts in the following manner: It sends itself automatically to all contacts on your list with the title: "You've received a Post Card from a Family member". As soon as the supposed virtual card is opened the computer freezes so that the user has to reboot. When the ctrl+alt+ del keys or the reset button are pressed, the virus destroys Sector Zero, thus permanently destroying the hard disk. Yesterday in just a few hours this virus caused panic in New York, according to news broadcast by CNN. Don't open any mails with subject: "A Post Card from ....." As soon as you get the mail, delete it!! Even if you know the sender!!! Pass this on.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Noted, and thank you...

K&R

Haven't seen it yet in my inbox...

[VP505]

2. Thanks for the heads up.

That must be one nasty virus if its destroying hard drives.

[deadmessengers]

3. Real, but old

The E-Card worm popped up about 4 months ago, which is a relative eternity. Any even remotely competent AV vendor (and you ARE using antivirus, right?) will have a signature out for this already.

Oh, and erasing "Sector Zero" doesn't do any such thing to a hard disk. It might make it not boot next time, but that's recoverable. (not "permanent"). This is techno-alarmism, plain and simple.

[L0oniX]

4. Similar to a boot sector virus ...how quaint. Most likely came from someone...

who is old school and knows about those old virus types. I used to use Norton Disk Doctor and Disk Edit to fix these old style boot viruses. This type of virus does not destroy the HD. You could try fdisk/mbr which rewrites the boot sector.

[datadiva]

5. Thanks for the info. n/t

[appleannie1]

6. I received one of these last month, 3 days after my husband

had a heart attack. It allegedly came from a well known greeting card company and the message was "you have received a greeting card from a family member". Because of the the circumstances, I thought it was real. When I clicked on the link, my Norton immediately blocked it. This has been going around for a while.

[alteredstate]

7. If you click on the "additional information" link on the Snopes page

you'll find the following:

Risk Assessment

Corporate User: Low
Home User: Low

Relax. This is not "the most destructive virus ever", not by a long shot. If you receive an email message stating "You've received a card from a......" don't open the attachment. A legitimate "online post card" company will provide an ID number for the online card, and you can view the card from their website.

[BlooInBloo]

9. To most people, any thing bad that's computer-y is THE WORST THING EVER!!!!

[alfredo]

8. The Storm Worm has been getting some play too.

[riverdeep]

10. I'm waiting for a virus that makes your monitor explode in your face.

THAT would be the most destructive ever.

[nebenaube]

11. can't be done...

Well it can if you can get to the VGA registers. I'm not sure how other OS's handle things but in Windows, a desktop app can't touch the registers even if you are the admin user.

You sure can toast a monitor (and generate a few x-rays) if you play with the scan refresh rates though (that is unless you reach over and shut the monitor off when it starts).

[BlueJazz]

13. I want one that kills all the Cockroaches in your house.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

12. Thank You!

:hug:

[malaise]

14. Thanks n/t

[mzmolly]

15. I clicked on the link at the snopes site, not a good idea I presume?

Did I just expose myself to the virus by doing that?