[91111] in Cypherpunks
Fw: Virus Warning!! IMPORTANT!!!!
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Crandall)
Sun Nov 30 14:14:46 1997
In-Reply-To: <19971130182226.29744.qmail@hotmail.com>
To: "Aunt Donna McLean" <ALDOLH@worldnet.ATT.net>,
"Cereal Killer" <phoebusapollo@mail.geocities.com>,
"Datsun List" <datsunlist@foxinternet.net>,
"Frank Taylor" <ftaylor@tophat.stetson.edu>,
"J*Kiss" <yuhai@hotmail.com>, "Kellog" <sjackson@inreach.com>,
"Lara" <727233@ican.net>, "MonekyGirl" <lrigyeknom01@rocketmail.com>,
"Nefurah" <nefurah@hotmail.com>, "Ryegirl" <papa@micoks.net>,
"Steve" <tibron@c2i2.com>,
"tom & nancy tindell" <73230.2720@compuserve.com>,
"Cypherpunks" <cypherpunks@toad.com>
From: "Crandall" <jeffden@c2i2.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 97 23:33:41 PST
Reply-To: "Crandall" <jeffden@c2i2.com>
----------
: Date: Sunday, November 30, 1997 10:22:19
: From: THE.DUKE a.k.a. Perrin
: To: Biscuit; my_bath_tub@innocence.com; parcha@hotmail.com; Jeff Cranda=
ll
: (work); deanna@keylink.net; cjensen@smtplink.rockford.edu; yablo@hotmai=
l.com;
: Doug; Here; Denise; flood69@hotmail.com; Goddess; Guipe;
: nailbomb666@hotmail.com; pierre@netins.net; jewlie@nwiowa.com;
: mansonswonka@hotmail.com; jonesy@mindless.com; Luvdust; Me; Wales; Nick=
;
: Nicole; philip@infospeedway.net; khanshaw@mindspring.com; Ryan; Sara =
Wilson;
: shandave@hotmail.com; tabnit@hotmail.com; thetigress_@hotmail.com; Tom
: Tindell; Tony Ortega; Yankee1428@aol.com; wrightk@tron.cochise.cc.az.us
: Subject: Virus Warning!! IMPORTANT!!!!
:
:
:
: --------------------------------------------------------------------
: ****************************************************************
: WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, AND BEWARE!
: Gullibility Virus Spreading over the Internet!
: ****************************************************************
:
:
: WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Institute for the Investigation of Irregular
: Internet Phenomena announced today that many Internet users are
: becoming infected by a new virus that causes them to believe without
: question every groundless story, legend, and dire warning that shows
: up in their inbox or on their browser. The Gullibility Virus, as it
: is called, apparently makes people believe and forward copies of silly
: hoaxes relating to cookie recipes, email viruses, taxes on modems, and
: get-rich-quick schemes [perhaps conspiracy theories should be included
: here].
:
: "These are not just readers of tabloids or people who buy lottery
: tickets based on fortune cookie numbers," a spokesman said. "Most are
: otherwise normal people, who would laugh at the same stories if told
: to them by a stranger on a street corner." However, once these same
: people become infected with the Gullibility Virus, they believe
: anything they read on the Internet.
:
: "My immunity to tall tales and bizarre claims is all gone," reported
: one weeping victim. "I believe every warning message and sick child
: story my friends forward to me, even though most of the messages are
: anonymous."
:
: Another victim, now in remission, added, "When I first heard about
: Good Times, I just accepted it without question. After all, there
: were dozens of other recipients on the mail header, so I thought the
: virus must be true." It was a long time, the victim said, before she
: could stand up at a Hoaxees Anonymous meeting and state, "My name is
: Jane, and I've been hoaxed." Now, however, she is spreading the word.
: "Challenge and check whatever you read," she says.
:
: Internet users are urged to examine themselves for symptoms of the
: virus, which include the following:
:
: * the willingness to believe improbable stories
: without thinking
:
: * the urge to forward multiple copies of such
: stories to others
:
: * a lack of desire to take three minutes to check
: to see if a story is true
:
: T. C. is an example of someone recently infected. He told one
: reporter, "I read on the Net that the major ingredient in almost all
: shampoos makes your hair fall out, so I've stopped using shampoo."
: When told about the Gullibility Virus, T. C. said he would stop
: reading email, so that he would not become infected.
:
: Anyone with symptoms like these is urged to seek help immediately.
: Experts recommend that at the first feelings of gullibility, Internet
: users rush to their favorite search engine and look up the item
: tempting them to thoughtless credence. Most hoaxes, legends, and tall
: tales have been widely discussed and exposed by the Internet
: community.
:
: Courses in critical thinking are also widely available, and there is
: online help from many sources, including
:
: * Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory
: Capability at
: <a href=3Dhttp://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html>here<=
/a>
:
: * Symantec Anti Virus Research Center at
: <a
: href=3Dhttp://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html>here</a>
:
: * McAfee Associates Virus Hoax List at
: <a href=3Dhttp://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.html>here</a=
>
:
: * Dr. Solomons Hoax Page at
: <a
: href=3Dhttp://www.drsolomons.com/vircen/hoax.html>here</a>
:
: * The Urban Legends Web Site at
: <a href=3Dhttp://www.urbanlegends.com>here</a>
:
: * Urban Legends Reference Pages at
: <a href=3Dhttp://www.snopes.com>here</a>
:
: * Datafellows Hoax Warnings at
: <a
: href=3Dhttp://www.Europe.Datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm>here</a>
:
: Those people who are still symptom free can help inoculate themselves
: against the Gullibility Virus by reading some good material on
: evaluating sources, such as
:
: * Evaluating Internet Research Sources at
: <a
: href=3Dhttp://www.sccu.edu/faculty/R_Harris/evalu8it.htm>here</a>
:
: * Evaluation of Information Sources at
: <a
: href=3Dhttp://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm>here</a>
:
: * Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at
: <a
: href=3Dhttp://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM>here</a>
:
: Lastly, as a public service, Internet users can help stamp out the
: Gullibility Virus by sending copies of this message to anyone who
: forwards them a hoax.
:
: *******************************************************************
:
: This message is so important, we're sending it anonymously! Forward
: it to all your friends right away! Don't think about it! This is not
: a chain letter! This story is true! Don't check it out! This story
: is so timely, there is no date on it! This story is so important,
: we're using lots of exclamation points! For every message you forward
: to some unsuspecting person, the Home for the Hopelessly Gullible will
: donate ten cents to itself. (If you wonder how the Home will know you
: are forwarding these messages all over creation, you're obviously
: thinking too much.)
:
: *****************************************************************
: ACT NOW! DON'T DELAY! LIMITED TIME! NOT SOLD IN ANY STORE
: *****************************************************************
:
:
:
: ______________________________________________________
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