Ron Anthony wrote: > > However, I must disagree that you should supress the news of a real virus > that has infected > your computer. Just as with human viruses, the infection speads to those you > know the best. > And just with human viruses, you have a duty to notify those you have had > contact with so that > they can be on guard for unknowingly being infected.
Granted. I should have said so. But in my interpretation this case would not be a case of "news supression" but instead, the rendering of a duty. And the message would be quite different from those hoaxes. Something like "virus such and such has infected my machine. If you have received a message from me, please double check to be sure it was not sent by the virus itself or is not contaminated. Sorry." This has none of the characteristics of hoax, does it? And certainly it does not invite people to keep spreading the news (as is the case with hoaxes). Thank you for reminding me of this exception (if you will). - fernando > > ++ron > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Fernando Cabral" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Donald Petrie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: "Sundial List" <sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de> > Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 5:03 AM > Subject: Re: Virus hoaxes > > > Since I wrote a message about hoaxes I have been bugged > > by the impression that it was not welcome. In fact most > > public and private messages I've received are very kind > > but somehow manage to say "let the hoax come". > > > > Now, it seems my message did not get thru. Let's hear what > > Donald Petrie says: > > > > >I agree that information about computer > > > viruses should be > > > shared as widely as possible. > > > > With different wording I heard this same thing from half a dozen > > people. > > That's precisely the principle hoaxes are based on. This belief > > is their lifeblood itself. > > > > Yes, information and education about how virus and hoaxes work > > should help. Maybe it is the only thing that will help. > > Nevertheless, since MOST messages about virus are, in > > fact, hoax, spreading the "news" is, in fact, spreading > > the "virus" itself! > > > > That's why notices about virus should NEVER be spread. No > > matter how good the intention is. It will only accomplish > > what the bad guys want them to accomplish: clog the network > > and everybody's mailbox. And they will do it using candid, > > and well-intentioned hands: yours. > > > > There ARE real virus and there are hoaxes. The treatment > > for both is the same: delete them and DON'T SPREAD THE > > NEWS! If you want to be useful, beneficial, show solidarity, > > then teach your friends how to detect a virus or a hoax > > (or better yet, how to avoid them!). But do it in private > > message exchange. Person to person. > > > > Again, in the Internet, anything that resembles a > > "pyramid" or a "chain" is nasty and has nasty > > results. Hoaxes and news about virus have this > > characteristc. > > > > So, I must insist, spreading news about virus and hoaxes > > IS sinful, deleterious, even if SOME people might find > > it informative and helpful. Perhas it will do a little > > good to those few, but it will certainly do great damage > > to the Internet as a whole and to the vast majority > > of users that will not benefit from those "alerts", > > be them real (very rare) be them fraud (most common). > > > > I know, it has been proved time and again that most > > people will do something -- anything -- if they can > > SEE that a FEW are benefitted, as long as they DON'T > > SEE that MANY are hurt. When a person spreads hoaxes > > she tends to listen to those who may eventually benefit > > from their action. She will not take into account those > > that are impaired. > > > > The only acceptable attitudes about virus and hoaxes are: > > > > 1) Delete them > > 2) If you want to know for sure if it is a real virus or a hoax, > > check some of the sites where this kind of information is > > logged. - as Donald Petrie mentioned, > > http://securityresponse.symantic.com > > is one of those sites. > > 3) If you think some of your friends might need help about virus > > and > > hoaxes educate them on a person-to-person basis. Eliminate > > any possibility that your teachings be taken as a "chain" > > or "pyramid" because if you don't your teachings themselves > > may > > become a "hoax". > > > > Net etiquette is based on good will and respect for each other. > > No one can impose a certain behaviour. This is good for the > > democracy, > > for the diversity and for life itself. Some people do not develop > > good etiquette because they do not have an opportunity to learn > > it. Some people do not develop good etiquette because they have > > not given due attention to the understanding of the REASONS why > > we should refrain from doing certain things (or perhaps do > > certain > > things). > > > > As I said, hoaxes thrive on solidariety, goodwill, benevolence, > > candidness. All good things that as human beings we are proud > > to have or cultivate in ourselves. These positive characteristics > > are USED and MANIPULATED by hoax-makers who know the human > > character. By so doing they incite good people to do an abusive > > and malicious thing THINKING they are doing a very good thing. > > > > So, please, next time you receive a message that directly or > > indirectly suggests that you should send it to a great number > > of people stop and think. Think twice. Think thrice. > > After CHECKING that the message is HONEST and not APOCRYPHA > > and after careful consideration about how many people will > > benefit by getting it and how many people might be harmed > > by getting it, if there are still some names in your list, > > then send the message. Preferably to their personal address, > > not to a list. > > > > Thinking before clicking the "forward" has never done any > > harm. Clicking too fast has. > > > > - fernando > > PS - I will accept those that will insist in spreading hoaxes > > because > > they believe they are doing something good. Humanity has survived > > all kind of gossips, rumors, hoaxes, prattle since dawn of times. > > There was a time when it was spread from mouth to ear and ear to > > mouth; then by > > letters, newspapers and the like. Eventually by the radio and > > TV. Now by the Internet. There has always been those few who > > CREATE the hoaxes and those many who "innocently" spread them > > around. > > > > Hoaxes and gossips and rumors DO NOT SURVIVE without "innocents" > > spreading them around. > > > > Humanity will survive this time too. Perhaps, with a message > > like this one I am sending now those who have done because > > of their innocency only > > will not do it anymore. Or perhaps I am completely wrong in > > every respect and aspect. And perhaps some people will even > > want to have my tongue cut because I am a messanger that > > says: hey, look out, someone is manipulating your sentiments. > > So be it. > > > > > Donald Petrie wrote: > > > > > > This is my first submission to the Sundial List and, > > > ironically, it is not about sundials. > > > Having recently been a victim of the "Sulfnbk.exe" hoax, I > > > thought that you should be aware of a valuable web site - > > > http://securityresponse.symantic.com > > > At this Gito home page, click on [Technical Support], then on > > > the Symantic page, click on [Security Response]. Here you will > > > find all kinds of information about virus threats and > > > a Reference Area where you can find Hoaxes listed. Click on > > > this and you will find a surprising number of virus hoaxes out > > > there in cyberspace. If you have deleted "Sulfnbk.exe" and wish > > > to re-install it, there are instructions on how to do so. > > > (Sulfnbk.exe is a Windows utility used to store long file > > > names; it is not required to run Windows). > > > I agree that information about computer viruses should be > > > shared as widely as possible. The above web site provides a > > > good way to check them out. > > > > > > Don Petrie. > > > > -- > > REDUZIR, REUSAR, RECICLAR -- Dever de todos, amor aos que virão > > REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE -- Everybody's duty, love to those who are > > to come > > Fernando Cabral Padrao iX Sistemas Abertos > > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pix.com.br > > Fone Direto: +55 61 329-0206 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > PABX: +55 61 329-0202 Fax: +55 61 326-3082 > > 15º 45' 04.9" S (23 L 0196446/8256520) 47º 49' 58.6" W > > 19º 37' 57.0" S (23 K 0469898/7829161) 45º 17' 13.6" W -- REDUZIR, REUSAR, RECICLAR -- Dever de todos, amor aos que virão REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE -- Everybody's duty, love to those who are to come Fernando Cabral Padrao iX Sistemas Abertos mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pix.com.br Fone Direto: +55 61 329-0206 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] PABX: +55 61 329-0202 Fax: +55 61 326-3082 15º 45' 04.9" S (23 L 0196446/8256520) 47º 49' 58.6" W 19º 37' 57.0" S (23 K 0469898/7829161) 45º 17' 13.6" W
