Is this for real?

sg1 · 09-11-2007, 02:48 AM

I recieved this from my uncle who is a managing Director of an electical company in the UK and he's not one to usually mess about....
(I copy/pasted so excuse the coding)
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']PLEASE[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >SEND THIS TO EVERYONE ON YOUR CONTACT LIST!![/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> > [/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >A new virus has just been discovered that has been[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']classified by >> Microsoft[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >as the most destructive ever. This virus was discovered[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']yesterday >> afternoon[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >by McAfee . This virus simply destroys Sector Zero from[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']the hard >>> >disk, where vital information for its[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']functioning are stored. >>> >This virus acts in the[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']following manner: >>> >It sends itself automatically to[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']all[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']contacts on your list with the >> title:[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >"You've received a Post Card from a Family member".[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> > [/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >As soon as the supposed virtual card is opened the[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']computer freezes >>> >so that the user has to reboot. When[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']the ctrl+alt+ del keys or the >>> >reset button are[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']pressed,[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']the virus destroys Sector Zero, thus >>> >permanently[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']destroying the hard disk. Yesterday in just a few hours >>> [/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>this virus >> caused[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >panic in New York , according to news broadcast by CNN.[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> > [/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >This alert was received by an employee of Microsoft[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']itself. >>> >So[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >don't open any mails with subject: "A Post Card from "[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']As soon as you >> get[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >the mail, delete it !! Even if[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >you know the sender !!![/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >Please pass this mail to all of your friends.[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> > [/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >Forward this to everyone in your address book. I'm sure[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']most people, >> like[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']>>> >myself, would rather receive this notice 25 times than[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']not at All[/font]

Charan · 09-11-2007, 03:08 AM

I checked mcafee site and got this

Quote:

Virus Profile: W32/Zhelatin.gen!eml
Risk Assessment
- Home Users: Low
- Corporate Users: Low
Date Discovered: 7/4/2007
Date Added: 7/4/2007
Origin: N/A
Length: varies
Type: Virus
SubType: Generic
DAT Required: 5067

Quote:

This is a detection of spammed email messages used to entice users into visiting sites hosting exploits that would result in a drive-by download. This is the first part in a three-stage infection of W32/Nuwar@MM. The Java Script used in the second stage of infection is detected as JS/Downloader-BCZ.

A user receives an email titled “You’re received a postcard” in his inbox and is requested to open the link contained in the message body in order to view the virtual postcard. On visiting the link, a cocktail of browser and application exploits that attempts a drive-by install of malware on the users machine is performed.

http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/defau...virus_k=142621