. . . to open the attachment of an e-mail purporting to come from 'big@boss.com' with the subject-line 'Re: Here is that sample'? Is this really an efficient way to propagate a virus? Or is it part of an academic study to determine what percentage of computer users are dumber than the proverbial box of rocks? Or is some kind of reverse psychology involved -- making the message so obviously dangerous that the occasional recipient will be intrigued enough to open it, just to see? Not that it worked on me, of course.
Update: (4/11, 7:35 PM)
Today I was offered a chance to buy "UNIVERSITY DIPLOMAS", with the assurance of "No required tests, classes, books, or interviews". Again, this would have been a lot more convincing if it had not purported to come from creduluss@earthlink.net (sic), with the subject header "finnantial critterya" (sic again).
Posted by Dr. Weevil at April 09, 2003 05:22 PMOf the day, Dr. Weevil--
I stumbled upon your site due to your reference to "Here is that sample" from 'big@boss.com'. I was seeking some reference to this amateur eMail virus propagation scheme this day, and to the lack-wit responsible for its genesis.
In a related post, you expressed some surprize that the Subject Line from an eMail hawking bogus degrees was "finnantial critterya."
The purpose of the... imaginative... spelling is to foil spam blocking, not to demonstrate the effectiveness of possession of their product. ["Jes' havin' one of them thar gradgitation papers made me a hole lot smarter!"]
I set the 'Permanently Delete (with extreme prejudice)' rule on my personal eMail to comb out such dross, but this colourful cyphering is designed to defeat such junk eMail rules. Fools can be so ingenious.
Of course, it does catch the eye, and one can manually delete it before opening it.
Interesting site you have. Nice to see that someone on the Net has a brain in his head -- and a command of the classics I envy -- instead of the contrite trash found elsewhere. Truly a breath of the fresh.
--Perfesser
Posted by: Wilson Bear on April 15, 2003 09:52 AMWhere can I follow up for more information
Posted by: email virus on June 26, 2004 11:56 PM