-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- This document is very much under construction, please send comments, advice, criticism, and further information to chymes@crew.umich.edu. DON'T SPREAD THAT HOAX! Recently, the internet community has endured a wave of e-mail hoaxes and pranks, exploiting users unfamiliarity with how the internet, and computer systems in general work. With the explosive growth of the internet and its popularity, more and more new users are "getting online" and becoming targets for pranksters. "Ancient" myths, like the cookie story, are just waiting for a critical mass of people who have not been exposed, so that they can go streaming across the net again. There is no technical solution to this problem. Even when users users become experienced enough to be able to tell a silly message when they see one, anyone can get suckered sometimes. It seems that all users of the internet will have to put up with a certain amount of nonsense. Right now, these messages are only an annoyance, but it is only a matter of time before someone's` reputation, career or bank account is ruined by some out of control e-mail message. Experienced users call these problem messages Junk-mail Viruses, because they act like other computer viruses, only they use people as the method of infecting new systems. Users of the internet must learn to be skeptical, and think carefully before spreading a message to new users. There are some simple things you can do to avoid being a carrier for Junk-mail Viruses. 1) If you get a message, or see a posting on usenet that seems like it should be shared with LOTS of people, **DON`T SEND IT** unless either you KNOW the message is true, you can authenticate their identity (through PGP or some other system), or you know the sender personally, and know they would have written this message. The more urgent it sounds, the more skeptical you should be. Even if you think it might be true, let someone else spread it. 2) If you really want to send it, **ALWAYS CHECK WITH THE ORIGINATOR** before forwarding it! This is the best way to tell a hoax or a prank. Just reply to the first sender, and ask them if it is true. If they can`t tell you, then don`t send it! Most pranks and hoaxes have forged headers and signatures, and when you try and verify the validity of the message, you will find that the address is not valid. Even if the originator is the prankster, and tells you to go ahead, at least they can be caught and dealt with. If this seems like too much of a bother, than it is not that important and you should not send it anyway. 3) If the message tells you to do something, especially if that something involves changing in your account or sending a file or message over the network, **CHECK WITH SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAT YOU CAN TRUST**. Imagine you received a package in your real homes mailbox asking you to place your house keys in the return envelope provided, and mail them to a post office box. Would you comply? People fall for the computer version of this all the time. 4) If you see or get something that really makes you angry, remember *** YOU CAN`T BE SURE WHO SENT IT!!** It is very very easy to frame someone with an e-mail message or usenet post. All someone has to do is sit at their computer when the victim is away from the keyboard. But hackers can be much more sophisticated. They can forge any message to make it appear from anyone. 4)Chain e-mail and Pyramid posts on usenet are a scam, and they may be a crime. If you forward one, you will be blasted with hundreds of angry messages in reply. But if you see one, remember that you can`t be sure who sent it. FAMOUS HOAXES The cookie story (Mrs Fields, Neimen Marcus, etc) is a myth. It has been circulating for at least 10 years. Please do not forward it. The kid who wants postcards before he dies is also no longer true, don't forward it either. Similarly, the federal government is NOT going to start charging for e-mail, or any other use the the internet. When you see a call to arms about this issue, disregard it. The Good Times "virus" deserves a page all its own. Here is an HTML version , and here is the plain text . Anyway, there is ABSOLUTLY NO WAY** for an email message to infect your computer with a virus just by reading it. Even the infamous internet worm did not operate this way. This "mother of all Junk-mail virues" Has made it into the photocopy room, and is going around again. There are enough myths, legends, and hoaxes on the net to fill a book, in fact, one is growing, check out the alt.folklore.urban Frequently asked Questiones list . Finally, note that when April 1st comes up, the Net will be awash in phony messages, forged return addresses, pranks, and general amusing nonsense. The best thing to do is to read them and have a good laugh. Baring that, ignore any message from anyone you don't know, and ignore any message from anyone that asks you to do something. HOAXES & HUMOR ON THE INTERNET 1. April Fools on the Net 2. Official Usenet Alt.Folklore.Urban Frequently Posted Legends 3. Usenet group on Computer folklore> 4. SERIOUS INFORMATION 1. Pretty Good Privacy, a great way to authenticate the sender and insure privacy for the receiver. 2. How NOT to create USENET Posts 3. USENET frequently asked questions 4. Hints on Writing Style 5. USENET Primer 6. Rules for posting Charles Hymes,aka Charweed Hymerfan chymes@CREW.umich.edu, http://www.CREW.umich.edu/~chymes/ C.R.E.W.: room 2420busad, 701 Tappan Street,Ann Arbor Michigan 48109-1234 Voice: (313)-764-6715, FAX:(313) 936-3168 Psychology: Psychology Dept, rm B268 525 East University, Ann Arbor Michigan 48109-1109 Voice:(313)-763-6992 * Well, maybe it was true at one point, but it is not true now. ** Really experienced users know about holes in sendmail and particular mail readers, but this message is not for you. - -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.5 mQBtAi3hKJAAAAEDAKWu78FpM0TI9ULSFZhi0HP2yx3DCsBvUbugyij/lgLC1VIk 8FrAGkv3Pi0K0K3T0bC6xjRNceVIO4CCMCe/FsXxrNhWjMwO8190qi2lzTQ9zZRf 573Njs+/uk64hK+aeQAFEbQSQ2hhcmx3ZWVkIEh5bWVyZmFu =blsm - -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.5 iQB1AgUBMAqo2L+6TriEr5p5AQEOqgL/YXpC5yjvlncRE4cXBb5cyfnz/zyeMjFk SHwGm5aIgOvdJ2v+3T5owsCrocw6botWVGqUZCem2PSNmaVym+U4POlucE4+5Xcu fAnUDcziMEvdq/NgLm5hMo3nl9MHrPmK =MJXN -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----