Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert
Truth About Computer Security Hysteria
{31 August 2004, 18:15 CT}
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CATEGORY: Dire predictions of a cyber-war or cyber-terrorism
Russian news agency MosNews now reports "there was no terrorist attack on the
Internet on August 26" as had been predicted. According to Kaspersky Labs
spokesman Alex Zernov, "media reports had attracted huge attention to this
information and caused users to strengthen security measures. 'This made [the
scheduled cyber-terror launch] date less favorable for the attack,' Zernov
said. 'Terrorists are not in a hurry because of such a serious reaction,' he
added."
MosNews follow-up story with photo:
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/08/27/internetterror.shtml
Vmyths coverage of the cyber-terror prediction:
http://Vmyths.com/hoax.cfm?id=281&page=3
MosNews claims Zernov spoke directly to them. If they correctly reported
Zernov's comments, then Vmyths insists he is sorely mistaken on two major
points.
First, only the Russian media focused "huge attention" on the predicted
cyber-terror event. Computer security firms, government agencies, and
mainstream global newswire services didn't warn of an alleged threat. Second,
Vmyths has seen NO objective evidence to suggest computer users strengthened
their security measures on or around 26 August.
Computer security fearmongers almost always applaud the media for "getting the
word out" after their predictions flop. If MosNews correctly reported Zernov's
comments, then it suggests Kaspersky Labs may be trying to backpedal with the
Russian press. This in turn would imply the antivirus firm engaged in a much
larger publicity stunt on 24 August than Vmyths first suspected.
On a lighter note: MosNews published their follow-up story with a photo of
"Chechen terrorist Shamil Basayev" using a laptop in an unidentified woodland
area. Basayev has threatened to launch "kamikaze" attacks in Russia, but
Vmyths found nothing to suggest the warlord will mastermind a cyber-terror
event in the near future.
Stay calm. Stay reasoned. And stay tuned to Vmyths.
Rob Rosenberger, editor
http://Vmyths.com
Rob@Vmyths.com
(319) 646-2800
CATEGORY: Dire predictions of a cyber-war or cyber-terrorism
--------------- Useful links ------------------
Remember this when virus hysteria strikes
http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=31&page=1
Common clichés in the antivirus world
http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=22&page=1
False Authority Syndrome
http://Vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm
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