Phantom Menace

Text of the hoax reads as follows:

"Please look out for a mail message you may receive with the subject "Phantom Menace" to do with the name of the film, Episode One.

Please do not open as it is one of the most powerful viruses known to date. it is only around 3 days old and is on the internet. Microsoft estimate that it will cause some 100 million USD of damage before an anti-virus is developed.

It will destroy all Microsoft programmes and memory and enters through mail on the Internet. The file name is att1.unk.

Please forward this message to all your contacts."

In common with many hoaxes, this one: falsely claims to describe an extremely dangerous virus falsely claims that the report was issued by a computer company asks you to forward it to all your friends

As usual, you are urged not to pass on warnings of this sort, as the continued re-forwarding of chain letter hoaxes simply wastes email bandwidth.

Also, you are urged not to run any program you receive via email, whether a warning exists about it or not. Programs received in this way should be treated as untrusted, and avoided.

Many virus hoaxes:

• falsely claim to describe an extremely dangerous virus
• use pseudo-technical language to make impressive-sounding (but impossible) claims
• falsely claim that the report was issued or confirmed by a well-known company
• ask you to forward it to all your friends and colleagues

As usual, you are urged not to pass on warnings of this kind, as the continued re-forwarding of these hoaxes simply wastes time and email bandwidth.

It is possible that you may receive a hoax via email with a file attached. Obviously, such file attachments should be treated with caution as they may be virus infected. Sophos recommends deleting virus hoax emails, whether they contain file attachments or not.

Sophos suggests a policy to help prevent hoaxes from spreading in your company.