A computer virus hoax is a fake message warning about a non-existent virus, often received in an email. It can instruct users to delete legitimate files and may claim to be from authoritative sources. True computer viruses can cause serious problems, such as stealing personal information. Virus hoaxes are usually harmless, but some can cause harm to a user’s computer.
A computer virus hoax is a message that a computer user receives regarding a computer virus. Usually this message is received in an email falsely warning about a non-existent virus. Many of these hoaxes claim that the receiving computers will suffer a terrible fate if they come into contact with the fictional virus. These hoaxes are usually harmless, but some may instruct users to delete certain legitimate files on their computers.
A true computer virus is a type of malicious software, or malware, that can cause serious problems for a computer and its user. Some computer viruses can damage a computer’s memory or steal a user’s personal information. A computer virus hoax, on the other hand, is usually just that: a hoax. This hoax tries to trick computer users into believing that a non-existent virus actually exists.
Information about a virus hoax is often received in a forwarded email message. Some of these hoaxes may claim that the recipient of the email is already infected with a virus. Others, however, will simply alert computer users to a virus lurking on the Internet.
A virus hoax email often makes outrageous claims about what the virus will do once it infects a computer. For example, some virus hoaxes may claim that a particular virus will completely erase a computer’s memory. Other more outrageous virus hoaxes may even claim that the virus will cause physical damage to a computer which is next to impossible.
Many times, a virus hoax email contains information from supposedly authoritative sources. He might claim that a certain computer expert or an antivirus manufacturer claims this is the “worst computer virus ever”. This is intended to lend credibility to the hoax and often tricks people into believing the false claim.
Virus hoax emails often prompt the recipient of the message to forward it to everyone they know. In fact, this type of message is often received as a forwarded chain email. Computer users who are genuinely concerned about their friends, family, and coworkers often forward these computer virus threats without realizing that they are hoaxes.
Usually, a virus hoax is harmless. Some of these hoaxes, however, can cause harm to a user’s computer. A well-known virus hoax, the jdbgmgr.exe hoax, urged computer users to delete a legitimate Microsoft® file, the Java® Debugger Manager. This hoax also claimed that the virus could not be detected by regular antivirus software and had to be removed manually.
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