A good friend sent this to me. I cannot vouch for its authenticity but it is better to err on the safe side. Here are the contents of his email.
----- Original Message -----
To: Robert Leaman
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 7:50 PM
Subject: Please read and send out ASAP.
Better safe than sorry. Not sure about this but it is worth being cautious about.
Avoid the email listed below and PLEASE INFORM EVERONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK!!!!
Emails with pictures of Osama Bin-Laden hanged are being sent and the moment that you open these emails your computer will crash and you will not be able to fix it!
This e-mail is being distributed through countries around the globe, but mainly in the US and Israel.
Be considerate; send this warning to whomever you know.
If you get an email along the lines of "Osama Bin Laden Captured"
or "Osama Hanged" don't open the attachment.
Osama Bin-Laden Email
Moderator: Wiz Feinberg
-
Robert Leaman
- Posts: 585
- Joined: 21 Feb 2006 1:01 am
- Location: Murphy, North Carolina, USA
-
Wiz Feinberg
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: 8 Jan 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Mid-Michigan, USA
Do not open attachments unless you -
A: have active and fully up to date anti-virus protection that scans incoming email attachments and files as they are opened or executed;
and
B: know the sender intended to send the attachment (you are expecting it and it was not emailed by a virus on his computer);
and
C: Have installed <em>all</em> Windows Updates available for your computer and OS.
and
D: have one or more fully updated anti spyware and anti-trojan programs that alert you in real time to anything that tries to install itself into system folders, and/or the system registry, and/or your browser, or establishes itself as a Windows Service.
and
E: Have an active software firewall that prevents unauthorized incoming and outgoing connections, from unapproved applications (pops up a challenge and waits for your response before allowing the connection).
or
F: you are running with lowered user privileges (Limited user, Power user), thus mitigating any damage an infected file can wreak on your computer, if any at all, and have a hardware firewall between the Internet and your computer.
and
G: are not connecting to the Internet through an unsecured wireless access point/router and not-locked-down wireless card on your computer.
------------------
Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
<small>Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices</small><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 03 May 2006 at 02:36 PM.]</p></FONT>
A: have active and fully up to date anti-virus protection that scans incoming email attachments and files as they are opened or executed;
and
B: know the sender intended to send the attachment (you are expecting it and it was not emailed by a virus on his computer);
and
C: Have installed <em>all</em> Windows Updates available for your computer and OS.
and
D: have one or more fully updated anti spyware and anti-trojan programs that alert you in real time to anything that tries to install itself into system folders, and/or the system registry, and/or your browser, or establishes itself as a Windows Service.
and
E: Have an active software firewall that prevents unauthorized incoming and outgoing connections, from unapproved applications (pops up a challenge and waits for your response before allowing the connection).
or
F: you are running with lowered user privileges (Limited user, Power user), thus mitigating any damage an infected file can wreak on your computer, if any at all, and have a hardware firewall between the Internet and your computer.
and
G: are not connecting to the Internet through an unsecured wireless access point/router and not-locked-down wireless card on your computer.
------------------
Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
<small>Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices</small><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 03 May 2006 at 02:36 PM.]</p></FONT>
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Joey Ace
- Posts: 9791
- Joined: 11 Feb 2001 1:01 am
- Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
"Osama Hanged" has been used as the title of an Email Containing a Virus Attachment.
ref: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/osama.asp
ref: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/osama.asp