E-mail SULFNBK.EXE hoax

[Guest Traveler]

I received an e-mail hoax unwittingly sent by one of the escorts who frequents this message center. It tells you to delete the file listed in the subject of this message or your hard drive will be destroyed June 1st. It turns out that the e-mail itself, not SULFNBK.EXE is the "virus." In other words, that file is an important windows program, and if you follow the instructions, this file is obviously deleted.

 

I found out about this hoax because I sent the hoax letter to an experienced computer friend. He found it curious that neither McAfee nor Norton could take care of the virus. "Doesn't make any sense," he said. So he looked on McAfee's website, and he found out about the hoax. He also sent me a file from McAfee which explains how to restore the program if you've deleted it per the hoax's instructions.

 

If others are interested, I can e-mail the McAfee file to Hooboy, and he can make it available to others who've been victims of this hoax. They sure are getting more and more clever, aren't they? Don't even have to know jack about computer code to spread a virus! x(

[Justice]

Like just about anyone else who has an e-mail address (I have three!), I'm constantly being bombarded with forwarded e-mails that contain dire warnings about anything and everything. I usually ignore most of these e-mails. (I delete the majority of them without reading them first.) Several months ago, I yielded to temptation and forwarded one of these e-mails to several people. One of them sent me the following link:

 

 

http://www.snopes.com

 

It's a great site. It deals with urban legends -- including internet rumors. Like I said, I usually delete or ignore most e-mail rumors. On the rare instances, when I yield to temptation I check out snopes before I even think about passing something on.

[Guest Rookie]

Traveler:

 

If possible, please post the solution to the problem either here on the site or email me. I, too, was a victim of this hoax.

 

Thanks

Rookie

[Guest Jason Reardone]

http://www.JasonReardone.cjb.net

 

I too normally delete such files. My unwitting response was indeed credited by the nature of the alert. I received an email from a very dear "friend" who informed me that he had sent me a virus.....you know the rest. Not having received the notice erroneously rather it came from a legitimate source it gave me a scare. I too have the "remedy" (i think) although I have not used it, my system seems ok.

 

Apologies to everyone for the confusion, it was meant in goodwill. -jason

[Guest Traveler]

I would suggest restoring the file per instructions. I understand it's a background file for Windows, and windows can misfunction without it. I e-mailed Hooboy the repair instructions from McAfee. Hopefully he can put it on this message center..