[edi581] The Return of the SULFNBK.EXE Virus Hoax
- From: JerryTaylr@xxxxxxx
- To: edi481@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, edi581@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 23:14:14 EST
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The Return of the SULFNBK.EXE Virus Hoax
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Do you remember the "honor system" virus? It was a joke that was
passed around the Internet last summer:
This virus works on the honor system.
Please forward this message to everyone you know, then delete all
the files on your hard disk.
Thank you for your cooperation
Well, a few months ago a nefarious netizen took the "honor system"
virus joke, rewrote it, and created an equally fake virus warning that
many newbies have taken seriously. The new warning asks you to scan
your hard drive for a file named SULFNBK.EXE and, if you find it, to
delete it from your system.
<SIGH>
What the virus warning fails to tell you is that SULFNBK.EXE is *NOT*
a virus, it is a Windows utility used to restore long file names in
the case of a catastrophic crash. DON'T DELETE THIS FILE, FOLKS.
Fortunately, SULFNBK.EXE isn't an *essential* Windows file -- you can
actually live with out it -- but you'll never catch *ME* saying that
out loud. Why let the newbies off the hook so easily when this is
such a wonderful "teachable moment?" :P
Long story short: if someone sends you an email that asks you to do
*ANYTHING* -- invest money, sign an online petition, warn your friends
about a new virus threat, delete files from your Windows system
folder, forward information to everyone you know, yadda yadda yadda --
take two seconds to verify the contents of the email before you do
ANYTHING! It is so simple to do, and it keeps you from making a fool
of yourself in front of the entire planet.
For example, a simple search at
http://www.google.com/
for "SULFNBK.EXE" results in 13,800 hits, and EVERY ONE of the first
10 hits shows you that that the SULFNBK.EXE virus warning is a hoax
(and the sixth hit is actually a page at my Web site, NetSquirrel.com,
telling you how to restore SULFNBK.EXE in case you were foolish enough
to delete it.) Two seconds of work and you keep from damaging your
system.
Jerry Taylor
Technology Integration Teacher
Greece, NY School District
Web page - jerrytaylor.homestead.com
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