Is your Facebook full of “dire warnings” about a new Windows virus?
Relax. There’s a good chance that this Facebook virus alert is actually a
hoax.
The false warning, which is reportedly being shared by
tens of thousands of Facebook users, describes a virus labeled “Update
Windows Live” that “burns” hard drives. To give more credence to the
claim, the hoax includes fraudulent information purportedly from
Microsoft, McAfee and CNN.
Don’t fall for it. Like most “urgent”
Facebook security alerts shared on user timelines, the warning is
totally made up. Despite the giant font and technical jargon, this is
just another viral hoax. Resist the urge to sound the alarms!
Fake Online Threat Shared by Thousands of Facebook Users
The shared item in question is a simple image containing text with details about the alleged virus.
More
than 35,000 people have shared this hoax on their personal Facebook
timelines so far, perhaps fooled by the name-dropping of major software
companies or scary-sounding technical phrases like “destroy Sector
Zero.”
Sophos printed a transcript of the fake warning:
!!!!!!!!!! RED ALERT for YOUR COMPUTER
Please circulate this notice to your friends, family and contacts!
In the coming days, warning: do not open any message containing an
attachment called Archive (Windows live) regardless of who sends you.
This is a virus that burns the entire hard disk. This virus comes from a
known person you have in your mailing list, which is why you should
send this message to all your contacts. If you receive a message called
“UPDATING WINDOWS LIVE”, even if is sent by a friend, do not open it and
stop immediately. This is the worst virus announced by CNN. It has been
classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus that ever
existed. The virus was discovered yesterday afternoon by McAfee, and
there is no chance of repair for this type of virus. Simply destroys
Sector Zero of the hard disk. Just copy and paste…
The absence of
any links to reputable news sources, and the sensationalist language of
the warning, all point to this message as a hoax.
However, many
users seemingly ignored these suspicious details and liked or shared the
photo anyway. After all, a burned hard disk is a nasty image for any
computer user, and Facebook’s social media culture encourages rapid-fire
sharing over actual fact-checking.
Quickly Debunking Virus Alerts
Although
most Facebook users who shared this hoax warning likely had good
intentions, it’s clear that most people don’t bother to research urgent
claims like these.
Thumbs up icon - Facebook like
Most Facebook users simply “like” or “share” without researching bogus virus hoaxes.
A
quick Google search for this hoax finds no information on CNN (or any
other news outlets) and no official warnings from either Microsoft or
McAfee. But we did find mentions of a very similar virus warning that
spread in previous years in the form of online chain letters and email
spam.
If more curious users looked into the virus warnings so
commonly shared on social media, we might experience a decrease in spam
and traffic across the Internet.
Plus, warnings like these have
potential to cause unnecessary panic and even convince people to buy
excess anti-virus software they don’t need.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Virus Hoaxes: 3 Tips
We know viruses suck — no one wants to see the infamous blue screen of death.
Blue screen filled with numbers and letters
This is the worst nightmare for any hard-drive owner.
But don’t be fooled by a hoax! Follow our simple tips for protecting yourself from a fake virus warning:
1.
Do a quick online search for the supposed virus or computer issue. See
if the problem has been covered by Snopes, tech news outlets or our own
Scambook Blog Technology section.
2. Check with your online
security provider before putting any protective measures in place. Never
install software you haven’t procured from a real anti-virus company.
3.
When in doubt, don’t share. In addition to freaking out your friends,
you don’t want to be known as the resident scam guy on your social media
networks.
Ever been fooled by an urgent-sounding chain letter or
Facebook post? What’s your favorite anti-virus software? Tell us in the
comments!