Sophos

Alt.mag.playboy

Type
Scare
Description

In April 2002 a harmless piece of JavaScript code was posted on a number of Usenet newsgroups. If viewed in some newsreaders, the script displayed the following message:

** WARNING ** VirusScan has detected the ALT.MAG.PLAYBOY virus on your hard drive. If you have recently opened an email or newsgroup message and see this alert your system is infected.

The message pretends to be from an anti-virus product, and may fool some users into believing it is a genuine anti-virus warning. The code is not viral, and does not replicate.

Sophos recommends users consider disabling HTML and Javascript in their newsreaders.