Gourt > Society > Folklore > Literature > Urban Legends > Computer Virus Hoaxes
A hoax is an attempt to trick an audience into believing that something false is real. There is often some material object involved which is actually a forgery; however, it is possible to perpetrate a hoax by making only true statements using unfamiliar wording or context (see DHMO). Unlike a fraud or con (which usually has an audience of one or a few), which are made for illicit financial or material gain, a hoax is often perpetrated as a practical joke, to cause embarrassment, or to provoke social change by making people aware of something. Many hoaxes are motivated by a desire to satirize or educate by exposing the credulity of the public and the media or the absurdity of the target. For instance, the hoaxes of James Randi poke fun at believers in the paranormal. The many hoaxes of Joey Skaggs satirize our willingness to believe the media. Political hoaxes are sometimes motivated by the desire to ridicule or besmirch opposing politicians or political institutions, often before elections.
Governments often perpetrate hoaxes to assist them with unpopular aims such as going to war (e.g., the Ems Telegram). In fact, there is often a mixture of outright hoax, and suppression and management of information to give the desired impression. In wartime, rumours abound; some may be deliberate hoaxes.
There is often considerable controversy about whether a given factoid is true or a hoax.
More on [ Hoax ]
Malicious Software :: Hacking
Abuse :: Internet
Viruses :: Malicious Software
Computer :: Humor
Internet :: Fraud
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monicawt47 (Monica White) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:45:01 -0000
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michelvi55 (Michel Villa) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:45:01 -0000
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marksm79 (Mark Smith) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:45:00 -0000
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kellyb41 (Kelly Barnes) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:44:59 -0000
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michellele11 (Michelle Lee) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:44:57 -0000
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peterzo00 (Peter Zole) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:44:55 -0000
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Vmyths - Computer virus myths, hoaxes, urban beliefs, hysteria, and the implications of believing in them, with historical data, theories on the spread of virus myths, and descriptions of popular virus misconceptions.
Meta Description: [ Center for Computer Security Criticism ]
About.com: Hoax Information Center - Alphabetically organized descriptions of computer virus hoaxes, past and present.
Meta Description: [ Virus hoaxes and myths waste time and money, and make the sender look foolish. Don't fall victim to a hoax. Use the Hoax Encyclopedia to check out the facts behind that dire sounding email. ]
Cyndi's List of Internet Stuff You Need to Know - List of links to online resources, including sections on computer viruses, hoaxes, misunderstandings and scams.
Meta Description: [ More than 263,250 links! 254,850 links, categorized & cross-referenced, in over 180 categories. Another 8,350+ uncategorized new links in the works. ]
Fraud Bureau - Hoaxes Pocus - Information and reviews of the top hoaxes on the Net.
Hoax Warnings - Information source for new virus hoaxes and false alerts, with searchable virus and hoax description database.
Meta Description: [ F-Secure provides Security Software, Anti-Virus and Cryptography Centralized Policy Management, Wireless Security, Network Security, Virtual Private Networks ]
Hoaxes and Scares - Hoaxes listed by name and type, with policy to help prevent hoaxes from spreading.
Meta Description: [ Virus hoaxes are false reports about non-existent viruses, often claiming to do impossible things. Sophos provides information about hoaxes which are virus-related. ]
How to Spot a Virus Hoax - Presenting a simple generic system to aid in analyzing virus warnings and showing how to handle a false virus warning.
Indiana University Knowledge Base - Listing a number of famous virus hoaxes.
Lies, Damn Lies and ICQ Messages - Humorous and occasionally sarcastic analysis of the rumor messages passed on Mirabilis's ICQ pager.
Meta Description: [ Lies, Damn Lies & ICQ Messages - humorous and occasionally sarcastic analysis of the rumor message passed on Mirabilis's popular ICQ pager. ]
McAfee: Hoaxes - Checks virus warning messages against McAfee's virus hoax listings and virus information library.
Meta Description: [ Sample McAfee Standards Document ]
Symantec: Hoaxes - Uncovering hoaxes that usually arrive in the form of an email, or promotions that sound too good to be true.
The Deadly AOL.exe Virus - Reports on how a joke took on a life of its own, and lots of AOL users deleted the sulfnbk.exe file from their hard drive.
The Register - The Persistence of Hoax - Story about old computer virus hoaxes and how people still fall for them.
Trend Micro Hoax Encyclopedia - Searchable listing of hoax viruses and hoax Trojan programs.
Meta Description: [ Trend Micro is a global leader in network antivirus and internet content security software and services with focus on outbreak prevention and enabling customers to manage the impact of network worms and virus threats. ]
Truth Or Fiction - An email reality check for e-rumors, viruses, and internet hoaxes.
Meta Description: [ Internet rumors, hoaxes, and urban legends ]
Virus Bulletin: Hoaxes - Explains virus hoaxes and what to do with them.
Meta Description: [ Independent malware journal and website with advice, reviews and tutorials ]
Virus Busters - Hoaxes, hooey, and hogwash as explained by Information Technology Division staff members at the University of Michigan.
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