This page contains information on various topics as well as links to other useful websites.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A computer virus hoax is a message warning the recipient of a non-existant computer virus threat. The message is usually a chain e-mail that tells the recipient to forward it to everyone they know.

Most hoaxes are sensational in nature and easily identified by the fact that they indicate that the virus will do nearly impossible things, like blow up the recipient's computer and set it on fire. They often include announcements claimed to be from reputable organizations such as Microsoft, IBM, or news sources such as CNN and include emotive language and encouragement to forward the message. These sources are quoted in order to add credibility to the hoax.

Virus hoaxes are usually harmless and accomplish nothing more than annoying people who identify it as a hoax and waste the time of people who forward the message. However, a number of hoaxes have warned users that vital system files are viruses and encourage the user to delete the file, possibly damaging the system. Examples of this type include the jdbgmgr.exe virus hoax and the SULFNBK.EXE hoax.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Malware, a portmanteau from the words malicious and software, is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code. The term "computer virus" is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase to include all types of malware, including true viruses.

Preliminary results from Symantec published in 2008 suggested that "the release rate of malicious code and other unwanted programs may be exceeding that of legitimate software applications." Malware's most common pathway from criminals to users is through the Internet: primarily by e-mail and the World Wide Web.