Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....

Subject: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 May 01 - 03:16 PM

Just got a warning from a business associate about a supposed virus...it advises you to delete a file on your hard disk called SULFNBK.EXE. Turns out this is a necessary file that is supposed to be on your hard disc. The warning is a hoax designed to panic you into deleting this file. I became suspicious about the whole thing, and called my server, who told me it's a hoax.

And that can be confirmed at

http://www.antivirus.com/vinfo/

So I thought I would pass the info along to the rest of you. "Don't touch that file."

- LH

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: hesperis
Date: 30 May 01 - 03:46 PM

Here's your Blue clicky, LH!

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 May 01 - 05:57 PM

Thanks, Hesperis!

- LH

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: aussiebloke
Date: 30 May 01 - 09:24 PM

Another blue clicky on the matter...

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 30 May 01 - 09:29 PM

There was even an announcment on Paltalk (by Paltalk) about this one last night warning people it was a hoax and not to delete the file. Glad you had the presensce of mind to check up, LH.

Jon

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: GUEST,Ade
Date: 31 May 01 - 04:47 PM

Thanks for the info. My mate has just rung me to tell me to delete the SULFNBK.EXE file on my hard drive as he thought he may have sent me the virus in an e-mail. He was about to e-mail everyone in his address book to tell them the same!! Thanks to Little Hawk I was forwarned and stopped him from wreaking havoc on his mates' systems!!

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: vindelis
Date: 31 May 01 - 07:36 PM

Thank God for the Mudcat. I had also heard about this, from what I consider to be a reliable source, and transferred the file to the recycle bin; but fortunately no further. It is now back in its rightful place.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Snuffy
Date: 31 May 01 - 08:05 PM

The Symantec link that Aussiebloke gave says:

The virus/worm W32.Magistr.24876@mm can arrive as an attachment named Sulfnbk.exe. The Sulfnbk.exe file used by Windows is located in the C:\Windows\Command folder. If the file is located in any other folder, or arrives as an attachment to a email message, then it is possible that the file is infected.

Just checked, and mine is in the right place.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Little Hawk
Date: 31 May 01 - 09:45 PM

Yeah. It's supposed to be there, and if you delete it then a lot of your windows stuff doesn't work. So far I have had 2 friends in Orillia (my town) who got this same message from "a reliable source" and deleted the file, and now have to get someone to fix their system.

The "reliable source" was, of course, some other innocent person like themselves who got fooled by the orginal message. I bet it's been around the world a few thousand times by now.

This has got to be the lazy man's cheap way of spreading a computer virus. You don't have to got to the trouble of actually writing or creating a real virus, you just trick people into screwing up their own system all by themselves, and advising all their friends to do the same.

It's amazing what small minds there are out there in cyberland, with too much time on their hands.

The message also said that you had to take action before June 1st to avoid your hard disk being wiped clean, just to up the panic factor a little...sort of like a hard sell technique.

- LH

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: CarolC
Date: 31 May 01 - 10:12 PM

I got that one, Little Hawk, and I contacted flattop right away. (Before I deleted anything.) He told me I had nothing to worry about. He gave me some good reasons, but I can't remember what they were.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Little Hawk
Date: 31 May 01 - 10:19 PM

Boy...I'm starting to wonder who hasn't gotten it!

- LH

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: hesperis
Date: 31 May 01 - 10:25 PM

Well, I just looked at my sulfnbk.exe, and the only thing it SAYS it's used by is my HP CD-RW... but I definitely don't want that acting up.

What else is it used by?

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: hesperis
Date: 31 May 01 - 10:28 PM

Me!!! I didn't get it!!!

Mostly because all my friends who got it checked it out first!

But I haven't checked my hotmail today... hmmm.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: GUEST,Songster Bob
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 12:13 AM

Anyone remember the "Amish Virus," that asked you to erase all your files and pass it along? Well, this is damned close to that, except it ain't funny, McGhee!

Bob Clayton

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: JeZeBeL
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 12:17 AM

Cheers LH. I'll pass it on to my dad aswell. I'm useless with computers so I'd really have messed it up. then I'd have been in deep s**t!!!!

Emma xxx

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: NightWing
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 02:07 AM

Once again, an advertisement for your friendly neighborhood virus scanning software ... whatever it may be. The two biggest companies -- Norton AntiVirus (Symantec) and McAfee -- have good website pages about viruses ... and about hoaxes.

Try

http://www.mcafeeb2b.com/naicommon/avert/avert-research-center/default.asp

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html

BEFORE you send out that warning to everyone you know that XYZ file will destroy their computer, check it out. When you receive a warning from someone else, check it out yourself, and when it turns out to be a bogus warning (as it almost invariably will), invite your "friend" who warned you to check it out before too.

Be polite, but be firm. If someone sends you a second or third "warning" that turns out upon checking to be bogus, cut them off (and tell them you are doing so and why).

(And then be nice about "not" cutting them off, when they apologize and promise to do better, of course)

But try to teach everyone you know: CHECK OUT "VIRUS" WARNINGS _BEFORE_ YOU PASS THEM ON!!!!!!!

BB,
NightWing

P.S. Long time no see, everyone.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: GUEST,Lesley Smith
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 07:55 AM

I was not clever enough to check anywhere before I deleted the SULFNBK.EXE file, being a newcomer to cyberworld. What can I do to repair/mend matters ? I have seen no change in the behaviour of my computer so far.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Snuffy
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 08:38 AM

Lesley,

If you go up to the 4th message in this thread, Aussiebloke gives a link to Symantec's site. Near the bottom of that page there are instructions for restoring the file if you've deleted it.

Good Luck!

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Rincon Roy
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 09:33 AM

Apparently the file in question is supposed to help restore long file names if they get corrupted. Your Windows installation CD has the file & Microsoft is supposed to have instructions on their site somewhere on how to pull from that CD to restore it to your sytem. (Someone really ought to write an epic lyric about this whole affair)

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: MichaelM
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 09:35 AM

Haing been hoaxed myself I read the following before responding to any e-mail.

WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Institute for the Investigation of Irregular Internet Phenomena announced today that many Internet users are becoming infected by a new virus that causes them to believe without question every groundless story, legend, and dire warning that shows up in their In Box or on their browser. The Gullibility Virus, as it is called, apparently makes people believe and forward copies of silly hoaxes relating to cookie recipes, E-Mail viruses, taxes on modems, and get-rich-quick schemes [perhaps conspiracy theories should be included here].

"These are not just readers of tabloids or people who buy lottery tickets based on fortune cookie numbers," a spokesman said. "Most are otherwise normal people, who would laugh at the same stories if told to them by a stranger on a street corner." However, once these same people become infected with the Gullibility Virus, they believe anything they read on the Internet.

"My immunity to tall tales and bizarre claims is all gone," reported one weeping victim. "I believe every warning message and sick child story my friends forward to me, even though most of the messages are anonymous."

Another victim, now in remission, added, "When I first heard about Good Times, I just accepted it without question. After all, there were dozens of other recipients on the mail header, so I thought the virus must be true." It was a long time, the victim said, before she could stand up at a Hoaxees Anonymous meeting and state, "My name is Jane, and I've been hoaxed." Now, however, she is spreading the word. "Challenge and check whatever you read," she says.

Internet users are urged to examine themselves for symptoms of the virus, which include the following: * the willingness to believe improbable stories without thinking

* the urge to forward multiple copies of such stories to others

* a lack of desire to take three minutes to check to see if a story is true

T. C. is an example of someone recently infected. He told one reporter, "I read on the Net that the major ingredient in almost all shampoos makes your hair fall out, so I've stopped using shampoo." When told about the Gullibility Virus, T . C. said he would stop reading e-mail, so that he would not become infected.

Anyone with symptoms like these is urged to seek help immediately. Experts recommend that at the first feelings of gullibility, Internet users rush to their favorite search engine and look up the item tempting them to thoughtless credence . Most hoaxes, legends, and tall tales have been widely discussed and exposed by the Internet community.

Courses in critical thinking are also widely available, and there is online help from many sources, including

* Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability at

* Symantec Anti Virus Research Center at

* McAfee Associates Virus Hoax List at

* Dr. Solomons Hoax Page at

* The Urban Legends Web Site at

* Urban Legends Reference Pages at

* Datafellows Hoax Warnings at

Those people who are still symptom free can help inoculate themselves against th e Gullibility Virus by reading some good material on evaluating sources, such as

* Evaluating Internet Research Sources at

* Evaluation of Information Sources at

* Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at

Lastly, as a public service, Internet users can help stamp out the Gullibility Virus by sending copies of this message to anyone who forwards them a hoax.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 10:26 AM

The email I received assured me that this couldn't be a hoax, as he had it from a genealogy site! Now there's an unimpeachable technological source if I ever heard of one!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Little Hawk
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 11:55 AM

Thanks, MichaelM, that message is a beauty!

- LH

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Don Firth
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 12:48 PM

I guess it's really getting around. I got the warning from an upstairs neighbor who e-mailed me last night. Fortunately I wasn't on-line at the time, because about an hour and a half later, he e-mailed me again to say he'd learned it was a hoax. When I went on line again, both messages came in at the same time.

Being slightly paranoid (not without reason) I make it a practice to run Norton Virus Scan on every e-mail attachment I get -- and every e-mail that mentions "virus" in the Subject line. It only takes a minute or two. But this thing is insidious. I tries to get you to scuttle your own boat!

Thanks for the above links!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: GUEST,Willa
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 04:02 PM

Thanks for this info; I had a warning (in good faith)yesterday, but luckily found out it was a hoax before I passed the message on.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: poet
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 04:04 PM

I got caught and panicked yeah GULLIBLE

Graham Guernsey

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: hesperis
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 07:05 PM

Ok, a friend got caught by this... and deleting it really screwed up her computer. From what I've read, it shouldn't have become that screwed?

Her computer didn't even know where the Program Files folder was located.

I've replaced her missing sulfnbk.exe from Win98 with mine from Win98SE... then restored the long file names. Now there's a whole bunch of folders called variations of LFN3579.TMP, and I'm trying to rename them to the right names so that her computer can find information inside itself.

It's a bloody job.

Some were easy to find, but others... I haven't a clue what they should all be called...

Why did it screw up this computer so badly when others are fine?

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: GUEST,mmm
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 07:09 PM

thanks i got a message last nite from a friend but waited to check it out glad I came here thanks for the info mmm

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Mr Red
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 06:51 AM

Refresh, refresh, It is still circulating
I just got an e-mail I have seen before about this.
Basically you become the virus carrier!!!!
Sometimes it tells you to delete sulfnbk.exe as you hold down the shift key or delete and delete from the re-cycle bin.
Either way you aren't going to get it back without Norton disk doctor.
the lfn in sulfnbk.exe is the Windows app to handle LongFile Names.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: Tweed
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 08:54 AM

We went through this over at the Tweedboard a couple days ago and ended up covering pore Bobert in green snot/virus goo as he sat innocently in his double decker English house trailer and somehow managed to tar and feather him in sorghum molasses in an attempt to help him with the cure. Everything's fine now as we pressure cleaned both him and the computer.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: mack/misophist
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 09:32 AM

A few years ago, when I was young and green, I got the same message and deleted SULFNBK.EXE. As I recall I replaced it by running sfc to get it off the disk. If that fails, you can always re-install, although that sometimes creates problems of it's own. I don't use McAfee, but Norton can be set to check all your incomming e-mail. And for god's sake, don't use Outlook! Most viruses are designed specifically for Outlook.

Subject: RE: Another Virus Hoax (SULFNBK)....
From: MMario
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 09:54 AM

As there will be (as always) a bunch of new computer users after Christmas there will be a flurry of forwarded pleas, virus hoaxes, etc for the next few months. There are many good sites on the internet to check out hoaxes.