Security news
Security news8 August 2007
Signs of life in Mars spectacular email chain letter, Sophos reports Celestial chain letter spreads across the internet again
Users are urged not to foward chain letters to their friends and family.
Experts at SophosLabs™, Sophos's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have warned users not to forward a chain letter that has returned to haunt email users every August for the last 4 years.
Sophos has received an increase in reported sightings of the Giant Mars chain letter from computer users in the last few days. The emails claim that the planet Mars will pass close to Earth on 27 August.
Although it is true that the planet Mars passed extraordinarily close to Earth in August 2003 (the closest the planets had been to each other for some 60,000 years), the email chain letter spreads across the internet every August. Sophos advises that users should simply delete the email, and not forward it onto their friends and colleagues.
"Chain letters like this are too easily forwarded to friends, family and colleagues without people using their common sense. Stories like this become treated as fact, simple because they are repeated so often," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "Hoaxes and chain letters like Giant Mars are not harmless - they waste time and bandwidth, and can make support departments see red. Users need to be more skeptical, and ask themselves whether everything they are told by email can be believed."
Part of the chain letter reads as follows:
"Up until 27 August it's likely that we will see more and more copies of this chain letter spreading across the net," explained Cluley. "Then things will die down - until next year at least."
The full text of the chain letter can be found here.
Download now
- SQL injection attacks are the biggest threat
- 90% of malware on legitimate sites
- Hackers exploit Web 2.0
About Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises all over the world to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Sophos's network access control, endpoint, web and email solutions simplify security to provide integrated defenses against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, Sophos protects over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with its reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognized for its high level of customer satisfaction and powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, Sophos has received many industry awards, as well as positive reviews and certifications.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com
