medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>The (mean) message I received was from a trusted
>friend who had herself been taken in and it
>specifically stated that McAfee and Norton were
>powerless to detect this virus. I have subscribed to
>the McAfee suggested below and will be much more
>suspicious in the future.
Inspired by George's admonition to apply the medievalist's tools to virus warnings, I'd like to make a point about diplomatics. I've worked as a system administrator, handling E-mail servers as part of my duties, so I've seen a lot of warnings, both legitimate and hoax.
The canonical form of the virus hoax has five elements. One, that this is a new virus, and not many people know about it. Two, a seemingly-credible source announced it, but no specific citation is given. Three, the recipient should warn everyone that they know. Four, the virus carries truly dire consequences. Five, common anti-virus programs are powerless against the threat.
If you receive a warning that folows this form, especial caution is in order.
Phil Feller
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