From: daniel gilliland (dang@whc.net)
Date: Fri Nov 28 1997 - 15:35:13 MST
Prof. Gomes wrote:
>Today, I received a message, followed by IBM, about an email virus:
>
>The "Trojan Horse"
>
[ snip snip ]
I'm afraid you're already a victim :)
Here's something out of SKEPTIC vol.2 no.5 ... from an article titled "The Power
of the Meme Meme" by Susan Blackmore:
"Internet viruses are a relatively new arrival. Last week I received a
very kind warning from someone I've never met. 'Do not download any message
entitled PENPAL GREETINGS' it said-- and went on to warn me that if I read this
terrible message I would have let in a Trojan Horse virus that would destroy
everything on my hard drive and then send itself on to every e-mail address in
my mail box. To protect all my friends, and the world-wide computer network,
I had to act fast and send the warning on to them.
"Have you spotted the trick? The virus described does not make sense; in
fact, it does not exist. The real virus is the warning. This is a clever
little meme-complex that uses both threats and appeals to altruism to get you--
the silly, caring victim-- to pass it on."
-dan
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