Truth About Computer Security Hysteria
0000 trick (or !0000 trick) to confuse viruses/worms
CATEGORY: Poor advice from NON-expertsCategory: poor advice from non-experts
Readers' input to our HoaxFYI service indicates growth in a new chain letter offering advice to deter the spread of viruses/worms. The "trick" involves the creation of a bogus "!0000" or "0000" contact in your email address book. See the related links below for more details.
| Some well-meaning non-experts modified the "!0000" chain letter before forwarding it. Conceivably, a hoaxster may soon forward dangerous advice in an attempt to dupe gullible users. |
In other words: you may pose a threat to your own computer if you gullibly take advice from non-experts who forward chain letters. See the sulfnbk.exe virus urban legend for a recent example of this phenomenon. As always, Vmyths urges you to obtain expert advice from experts.
Email administrators have long used "shark accounts" to "gobble up" messages sent accidentally to the first contact in a corporate email address book. To the best of our knowledge, email administrators do not use this "trick" to deter virus proliferation.
Vmyths believes a columnist wrote the original "trick" for an obscure computer publication. A search of Usenet archives shows the advice appeared on alt.comp.virus as far back as 12 August. The column later appeared (without attribution) in at least one non-computer email newsletter.
Vmyths set up a special email address so you can forward chain-letter virus alerts to us. Your effort will help us detect changing trends in virus hysteria. Please forward the verbatim chain letter to HoaxFYI@Vmyths.com. Emails sent to this account will remain strictly confidential (we promise not to tattle on your boss if he got duped).
Last updated: 2001/9/6