A virus hoax is a fake warning about a computer virus. Typically, the warning arrives in an e-mail forwarded to a lot of people, and will typically suggest that you forward the warning to everyone you know. These hoaxes will often tell you to delete a file fron your computer because they are 'undetectable' viruses.

One of the most prolific hoaxes, the sulfnbk.exe hoax, warned that the sulfnbk.exe program was a virus that would lay dormant until a certain date, and then launch itself. Because the virus was not 'active', none of the antivirus software programs would detect it until it became 'active', and by then it would be too late (according to the warning). The suggested solution was that you search your computer for this program and delete it right away, before it was too late.

In reality, the sulfnbk.exe program is probably on your Windows 95 or 98 PC because it is a Windows file, not because you have been infected. Removing the file did not do any damage, but leaving it there would not do any damage either! This is another example of social engineering - using Fear, Uncertainity and Doubt (FUD) to cause panic in the masses.

If you get a message about a new virus, you can check it out by going to one of the Web sites that keep up with viruses and hoaxes (see the Links section). If someone sends you a note about a virus and you learn it is a hoax, tell the sender that the virus warning is a hoax. The worst part about virus hoaxes is that a lot of legitimate warnings can be ignored if people are hit with too many fake ones.