There is however one sense in which the "Good Times" virus does exist.
It exists as a meme or transmittable idea. That is, the virus is the
idea that such a virus exists and spreads by being told by one person
to others who then waste time and energy worrying and working to
combat a non-existant threat. Thus like the "Killer Joke" of Monty Python
fame the only defense against the meme is not to hear it. So in a
sense the poster is right about not opening "Good Times" mail.
On Thu, 26 Oct 1995, laura k paine wrote:
> >Errors-To: noelb@taranaki.ac.nz
> >From: njchatt@cc.usu.edu (N. Jerry Chatterton)
> >To: "Graze List" <graze-l@cygnus.taranaki.ac.nz>
> >Subject: Internet mail virus -Forwarded
> >Date: Wed, 25 Oct 1995 13:52:33 -0600 (MDT)
> >Errors-To: <noelb@taranaki.ac.nz>
> >Sender: Maiser@cygnus.taranaki.ac.nz
> >X-Listname: <graze-l@cygnus.taranaki.ac.nz>
> >
> >To:All Graze-l subscribers
> >
> >I just learned of this virus --thought I would pass the word along
> >
> >>* Subject: VIRUSES -- IMPORTANT PLEASE READ
> >>IMMEDIATELY (fwd) *
> >>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> >>There is a computer virus that is being sent across the Internet. If
> >>you receive an e-mail message with the subject line
> >> "Good Times", DO NOT read the message,
> >> DELETE it immediately.
> >>
> >> Please read the messages that follows.
> >>
> >> WARNING!!!!!!!!!: INTERNET VIRUS
> >>
> >>The FCC released a warning last Wednesday concerning a
> >>matter of major importance to any regular user of the InterNet.
> >>Apparently, a new computer virus has been engineered by a
> >>user of America Online that is unparalleled in its destructive
> >>capability. Other, more well-known viruses such as Stoned,
> >>Airwolf, and Michaelangelo pale in comparison to the prospects
> >>of this newest creation by a warped mentality. What makes this
> >>virus so terrifying, said the FCC, is the fact that no program
> >>needs to be exchanged for a new computer to be infected. It can
> >>be spread through the existing e-mail systems of the InterNet.
> >>Once a computer is infected, one of several things can happen. If
> >>the computer contains a hard drive, that will most likely be
> >>destroyed. If the program is not stopped, the computer's
> >>processor will be placed in an nth-complexity infinite binary loop
> >>- which can severely damage the processor if left running that
> >>way too long. Unfortunately, most novice computer users will not
> >>realize what is happening until it is far too late. Luckily, there is
> >>one sure means of detecting what is now known as the "Good
> >>Times" virus.
> >>It always travels to new computers the same way in a text e-mail
> >>message with the subject line reading simply "Good Times".
> >>Avoiding infection is easy once the file has been received in not
> >>reading it. The act of loading the file into the mail server's ASCII
> >>buffer causes the "Good Times" mainline program to initialize
> >>and execute. The program is highly intelligent - it will send
> >>copies of itself to everyone whose e-mail address is contained
> >>in a received-mail file or a sent- mail file, if it can find one. It will
> >>then proceed to trash the computer it is running on. The bottom
> >>line here is - if you receive a file with the subject line "Good
> >>Times", delete it immediately! Do not read it! Rest assured that
> >>whoever's name was on the "From:" line was surely struck by the
> >>virus. Warn your friends and local system users of this newest
> >>threat to the InterNet!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>CC: Lalit Mamtani <lmamtani@camelot.bradley.edu>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >N. Jerry Chatterton
> >USDA-Agric Res Service
> >Forage and Range Research
> >Utah State University
> >Logan, Utah 84322-6300
> >Tel 801 797 2249
> >Fax 801 797 3075
> >Email njchatt@cc.usu.edu
> >
> >
>
>
*******************************************************************
*******************************************************************
Jonathan Haskett
jhaskett@asrr.arsusda.gov
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves..."