Relax everybody! At least according to the to the appended message! The "Good Times"- and "XXX-1" virus that was supposed beeing emailed around on Internet, is a HOAX! Best regards Rune Groven READ THIS !: > >From The US Department of Defense's Computer Incident Advisory Capability (!) > > December 6, 1994 > > > > ------------------- A - T - T - E - N - T - I - O - N ------------------- > >| CIAC is available 24-hours a day via its two skypage numbers. To use | > >| this service, dial 1-800-759-7243. The PIN numbers are: 8550070 (for | > >| the CIAC duty person) and 8550074 (for the CIAC manager). Please keep | > >| these numbers handy. | > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >Welcome to the fourth issue of CIAC Notes! This is a special edition to > >clear up recent reports of a "good times" virus-hoax. Let us know if you > >have topics you would like addressed or have feedback on what is useful and > >what is not. Please contact the editor, Allan L. Van Lehn, CIAC, > >510-422-8193 or send E-mail to ciac@llnl.gov. > > > > $-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$ > > $ Reference to any specific commercial product does not necessarily $ > > $ constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring by $ > > $ CIAC, the University of California, or the United States Government.$ > > $-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$ > > > >THE "Good Times" VIRUS IS AN URBAN LEGEND > > > >In the early part of December, CIAC started to receive information requests > >about a supposed "virus" which could be contracted via America OnLine, simply > >by reading a message. The following is the message that CIAC received: > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >| Here is some important information. Beware of a file called Goodtimes. | > >| | > >| Happy Chanukah everyone, and be careful out there. There is a virus on | > >| America Online being sent by E-Mail. If you get anything called "Good | > >| Times", DON'T read it or download it. It is a virus that will erase your | > >| hard drive. Forward this to all your friends. It may help them a lot. | > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >THIS IS A HOAX. Upon investigation, CIAC has determined that this message > >originated from both a user of America Online and a student at a university > >at approximately the same time, and it was meant to be a hoax. > > > >CIAC has also seen other variations of this hoax, the main one is that any > >electronic mail message with the subject line of "xxx-1" will infect your > >computer. > > > >This rumor has been spreading very widely. This spread is due mainly to the > >fact that many people have seen a message with "Good Times" in the header. > >They delete the message without reading it, thus believing that they have > >saved themselves from being attacked. These first-hand reports give a false > >sense of credibility to the alert message. > > > >There has been one confirmation of a person who received a message with > >"xxx-1" in the header, but an empty message body. Then, (in a panic, because > >he had heard the alert), he checked his PC for viruses (the first time he > >checked his machine in months) and found a pre-existing virus on his machine. > > He incorrectly came to the conclusion that the E-mail message gave him the > >virus (this particular virus could NOT POSSIBLY have spread via an E-mail > >message). This person then spread his alert. > > > >As of this date, there are no known viruses which can infect merely through > >reading a mail message. For a virus to spread some program must be executed. > >Reading a mail message does not execute the mail message. Yes, Trojans have > >been found as executable attachments to mail messages, the most notorious > >being the IBM VM Christmas Card Trojan of 1987, also the TERM MODULE Worm > >(reference CIAC Bulletin B-7) and the GAME2 MODULE Worm (CIAC Bulletin B-12). > > But this is not the case for this particular "virus" alert. > > > >If you encounter this message being distributed on any mailing lists, simply > >ignore it or send a follow-up message stating that this is a false rumor. > > > >Karyn Pichnarczyk > >CIAC Team > >ciac@llnl.gov > > > > > >- ------------------------------ > >Contacting CIAC > > > >If you require additional assistance or wish to report a vulnerability, call > >CIAC at 510-422-8193, fax messages to 510-423-8002 or send E-mail to > >ciac@llnl.gov. For emergencies and off-hour assistance, call 1-800-SKY-PAGE > >(759-7243) and enter PIN number 8550070 (primary) or 8550074 (secondary). > >The CIAC Duty Officer, a rotating responsibility, carries the primary > >skypager. The Project Leader carries the secondary skypager. If you are > >unable to contact CIAC via phone, please use the skypage system. > > > >- ------------------------------ > >This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of > >the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor the > >University of California nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, > >express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the > >accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, > >or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately > >owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, > >or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not > >necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring > >by the United States Government or the University of California. The views > >and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect > >those of the United States Government or the University of California, and > >shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. > > > >- ------------------------------ > >End of CIAC Notes Number 94-04 94_12_06 > >****************************************
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