MDCAROLI-L HAS JUST RECEIVED A FALSE VIRUS WARNING WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO DELETE A FILE. DON'T DO THIS!!!! Below is a copy of the e-mail that was sent to the MDCAROLI-L list by eetcct@earthlink.net. The report on this virus warning that is posted on URBAN LEGENDS, a website devoted to identifying and explaining false virus and other chain mail messages, says THE WARNING IS FALSE and tells you not to follow the instructions -- also tells you where to go for instructions to restore the file if you have already deleted this file. After the message from eetcct which is copied next, you will find the full Urban Legends report. ___________________________________________________ In a message dated 4/23/02 5:47:53 PM Mountain Daylight Time, eetcct@earthlink.net writes: > Subj:[MDCAROLI] Fw: (no subject) > Date:4/23/02 5:47:53 PM Mountain Daylight Time > From:<A HREF="mailto:eetcct@earthlink.net">eetcct@earthlink.net</A> > Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:MDCAROLI-L@rootsweb.com">MDCAROLI-L@rootsweb.com</A> > To:<A HREF="mailto:MDCAROLI-L@rootsweb.com">MDCAROLI-L@rootsweb.com</A> > Sent from the Internet > > A friend sent this to us and my computer had the virus from a message sent > to Tina from her friend > -------------------------------------- > > Subject: Virus > I received this note this morning. I found this virus in my file and > deleted > it. Please do the same to prevent damage to your computer. The person who > sent this to me apologises for the inconvenience. It is very important that > > you do this! > > We have unwittingly just been infected with a virus from someone's email. > This virus sends itself to all the addresses in the address book of the > computer it has arrived at. Since you are in our address book, it will get > to you. Take the time and remove it now - the instructions are easy to > follow and we got rid of the virus in about 30 seconds. Some versions of > anti virus software including Norton and Inoculate T have not been able to > detect it. It is said that the virus hides in the computer for 2 weeks and > then damages the dist irreparably. The virus is called sulfnbk.exe. Many > apologies for the trouble this is causing. > > 1. Go to "Start" and click on "find." > 2. In the box "find files or folders" write sulfnbk.exe (the name of the > virus). > 3. Make sure you are searching in the C-Drive (check in the box marked > "Search in"). > 4. Click on Find or Search. > 5. If the file is found you will see an ugly black icon with the name > sulfnbk.exe. The file is a program. DO NOT OPEN IT!!! If it does appear, > try > the same procedure again. > 6. Click on the RIGHT button of the mouse, on the file, and then click on > delete with the LEFT button of the mouse. > 7. You will be asked if you want to send the file to the wastebasket. > Respond YES. > 8. Go to the Desktop (where all the icons are), open the wastebasket and > eliminate the file, manually or by emptying the entire wastebasket. > 9 If you find this virus in your computer, send this email to all the > people in your address book, because the virus is transmitted in this way. > > If you don't warn them, aside from ruining their hard disk, it will come > back to you if you are in their address book. > Once again, apologies. > _________________________________________________________ THE URBAN LEGENDS REPORT http://www.snopes2.com/ I SEARCHED ON: sulfnbk.exe _________ Claim: The Windows file SULFNBK.EXE should be deleted because it masks a dormant virus. Status: False. Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2001] > A VIRUS could be in your computer files now, dormant but will become active > on June 1. Try not to USE your Computer on June 1st. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS > BELOW TO CHECK IF YOU HAVE IT AND TO REMOVE IT NOW. No Virus software can > detect it. It will become active on June 1, 2001. It might be too late by > then. It wipes out all files and folders on the hard drive. This virus > travels thru E-mail and migrates to the 'C:\windows\command' folder. To > find it and get rid of it off of your computer, do the following. Go to the > "START" button. > Go to "FIND" or "SEARCH" > Go to "FILES & FOLDERS" > Make sure the find box is searching the "C:" drive. > Type in: SULFNBK.EXE > Begin search. If it finds it, highlight it. Do not double click or file > will automatically open. Go to 'File' and delete it. > Close the find Dialog box > Open the Recycle Bin > Find the file and delete it from the Recycle bin > You should be safe. The bad part is: You need to contact everyone you have > sent ANY E-mail to in the past few months. Many major companies have found > this virus on their computers. Please help your colleagues and friends ! DO > NOT RELY ON YOUR ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE. McAFEE and NORTON CANNOT DETECT IT > BECAUSE IT DOES NOT BECOME A VIRUS UNTIL JUNE 1ST. WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT > OPEN THE FILE!!! Origins: Whether the SULFNBK.EXE message was deliberately intended as a prank for gullible computer users or an honest warning based on a misunderstanding, the instructions listed above should NOT be acted upon. The file SULFNBK.EXE is a standard component of the Windows 95 and Windows 98 operating systems, a program used to backup and restore long filenames. Its presence does not indicate that a user's PC is harboring a virus, and the unnecessary deletion of this file can interfere with the normal functioning of a PC. (For most users, though, the loss of this file probably won't ever cause a real problem.) SULFNBK.EXE is one of the files that the <A HREF="http://www.snopes2.com/computer/virus/#w32mag"> W32/Magistr.a@MM</A> virus used as a means of transmission -- infected copies were attached to mail messages which copied them to the recipients' PCs. (The real SULFNBK.EXE file should be found in the C:\Windows\Command folder.) However, the mere presence of this file does not mean that a system is infected. You should not delete SULFNBK.EXE unless a virus-check program has scanned the file and told you it is infected. (The lack of SULFNBK.EXE won't generally cause a PC to stop working, but users who have removed it from their PCs should make the effort to restore it to avoid potential problems.) If you have already mistakenly deleted this file, you can find instructions for restoring it at <A HREF="http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q301316">Microsoft</A>'s web site or on the Symantec page linked below. Additional information: SULFNBK.EXE Warning (Symantec) Last updated: 8 January 2002