Bug Watch: The real threat of hoax viruses

An email arrived in my in-box yesterday entitled Virus Warning - not unusual bearing in mind I work for a security company. The warning initially read like a hoax, saying that the original Love Bug virus, HIV/Aids, is still with us and has already infected 36 million people.

Convinced it was a hoax I read on, only to find that it was in fact an email informing people to stay alert about HIV/Aids to coincide with World Aids Day, which is 1 December.

As you can imagine, the email caused much controversy around the office. On the one hand we and the rest of the security and antivirus industry are constantly pushing the message out that hoaxes can often cause as much disruption as viruses themselves.

Virus hoaxes can be damaging to productivity as people stop to read them, send them to friends and contacts, and in some cases switch off computers in a panic. IT managers are then distracted from their usual priorities to deal with a flood of messages which often turn out to be a joke - but not a very funny one.

This message uses hoax virus techniques in terms of shock value, but steers clear of the usual capital letters and corporate endorsement, which signify a typical hoax.

On the flip side, you have to respect the National Aids Trust for using such a topical subject and one that people will inevitable read to get their message across. The email was powerful - reminding us all of the way HIV spreads, the damage it has already done, as well as how to support World Aids Day.

Lets face it, the analogies are abundant. As an internet security company we can't condone this type of viral marketing and use of virus alerts, but as a human beings we can't condemn it either.

Next edition: 8 December