For complete hoax updates visit: Sophos Symantec Hoaxbusters Arachnophiliac

Three of the most popular hoaxes

1.) jdbgmgr.exe virus HOAX

This has been passed from one would-be Samaritan to another, and it can be identified by its text as follows:
"I just got this message from a contact," the e-mail message will generally start. "Sure enough, my address book was infected, which means yours will be also. I have the fix below. I have both McAfee and Norton Antivirus and neither caught it."
"The virus (called jdbgmgr.exe) is not detected by Norton, Trend PC-cillin, Norton or McAfee antivirus systems," it continues. "The virus sits quietly for 14 days before damaging the system and can be identified by a teddy bear icon" 

 In reality, the component is the Java Debugger Manager and is part of the Java software installed on all Windows systems. If deleted, its absence could cause some Java applets and JavaScript to stop working, said the senior security response director for Symantec.
 Microsoft says, you do not have to recover it unless you use Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1 to develop Java programs on Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 98, or Windows 95. Most users will not need to get this file back.

Recovery:

If you deleted this file and you still want it back, go here http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q322993&

Or you can download and execute this file from PCWorld:
Microsoft Java Virtual Machine Build 3805 also called Java Classes (jdbgmgr.exe)
If you were duped into deleting the file, there's no need to worry: simply download and install this latest release of the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (also known as Java Classes). Download Here 

2.) HOAX!!!
"Columbia Shuttle photos is reportedly from an Israeli satellite!"

This is a shameful and irreverent hoax.
It first appeared in March 2003.

This series of photos is reportedly from an Israeli satellite. They provide an extraordinarily clear record of the final moments of Columbia.

Debunk:
There was no satellite pointed at the Columbia at any time during its decent. 
These pictures show a Space Shuttle in orbit, not returning to Earth. 
Columbia did NOT blow up, it disintegrated over a distance of several hundred miles.
A real Shuttle mission has the shuttle orbiting the Earth upside down, not right way up.
Not to mention, the pictures are stills from the 1998 disaster movie Armageddon with Bruce Willis (Note the meteorites).

If you receive a message about this please ignore it, and don't pass it on, as it only serves to propagate it.

3.) HOAX !
BUD FROGS SCREEN SAVER
 
(Hoax Version 1) 
1.) BUD FROGS SCREEN SAVER
PASS THIS ON FAST AND FAR--VIRUS WARNING
DANGER!!! VIRUS ALERT!!!
THIS IS A NEW TWIST. SOME SCAM-ARTIST IS SENDING OUT A VERY DESIRABLE SCREEN-SAVER (THE BUD FROGS), BUT IF YOU DOWN-LOAD IT, YOU'LL LOSE EVERYTHING!!!!
DON'T DOWNLOAD THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!! HERE'S EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE - AN EXACT COPY....DO NOT DOWNLOAD THE BELOW...JUST BEWARE OF IT.
IT JUST WENT INTO CIRCULATION YESTERDAY, AS FAR AS WE KNOW....BE CAREFUL.
"SAJ" 5/13/97 . . . . PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE ...THANX TO ABYTEDOC / BYTEDOC1 FOR THIS INPUT.
 
(Hoax Version 2) 
DANGER!!! VIRUS ALERT!!!
THIS IS A NEW TWIST. SOME CREEPOID SCAM-ARTIST IS SENDING OUT A VERY DESIRABLE SCREEN-SAVER {{THE BUD FROGS}}. IF YOU DOWN-LOAD IT, YOU'LL LOSE EVERYTHING!!!! YOUR HARD DRIVE WILL <<<KERBLAM>>> CRASH!! 
DON'T DOWNLOAD THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!! IT JUST WENT INTO CIRCULATION ON 05/13/97, AS FAR AS I KNOW!! 
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS WARNING TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE... BELOW IS WHAT THE SCREENSAVER PROGGIE WOULD LQQK LIKE!
File: BUDSAVER.EXE (24643 bytes) DL Time (28800 bps): < 1 minute
 
(Hoax Version 3) 
READ IMMEDIATELY AND PASS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW 
Someone is sending out a very cute screensaver of the Budweiser Frogs. If you download it, you will lose everything! Your hard drive will crash and someone from the Internet will get your screen name and password! 
DO NOT DOWNLOAD IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! It just went into circulation yesterday. Please distribute this message. This is a new, very malicious virus and not many people know about it. This information was announced yesterday morning from Microsoft. 
Please share it with everyone that might access the Internet. Once again, Pass This Along To EVERYONE in your address book so that this may be stopped. AOL has said that this is a very dangerous virus and that there is NO remedy for it at this time. 
This is VERY important. If you receive a screen saver from a friend or anyone you may not know with the Budweiser Frogs in it, DO NOT DOWNLOAD IT OR OPEN THE FILE! 
Press the forward button on your email program and send this notice to EVERYONE you know. Let's keep our email safe for everyone.
Again, if you receive this email delete it and DO NOT pass it on.

Users who receive the email, delete it and DO NOT pass it on as this is how an email HOAX propagates. 

4.) Hoax about a Yahoo instant messenger virus has been distributed amongst internet users.

The Yahoo instant message hoax (also known as "Hard drive killer") warns users of Yahoo's instant message service to be wary of a fellow user contacting them. The hoax claims that their computers will be infected by "a very horrible" virus and passed on to instant messenger contacts. Sophos is receiving an increasing number of reports of the hoax from users who are concerned it may be genuine. It has also been seen distributed via email and posted on internet messageboards.

"The warning is clearly nonsense and no such virus exists," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos Anti-Virus.

A typical version of the hoax message reads as follows:
If somebody by name dvorak@yahoo.com adds you. dont accept it. Its a virus. Tell everyone on ur bulletin because if somebody on ur list adds them, u get the virus too. Tell everyone on your list not to open anything from angell11, tewwtuler, and sassybitch. It is a hard drive killer and a very horrible virus. pass this letter to everyone on your buddy list. We need to find out who is really using these accounts. Sorry for the inconvenience. Sincerely, Director of Yahoo Services, tanwir2001.

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