Windows file SULFNBK.EXE, virus or not?

[Healey]

Today I received the following messagge about a virus file, I found the file on my C drive, do you know if I should delete this file, or ignore the warning?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
A VIRUS could be in your computer files now, dormant but
will become active on June 1. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS BELOW TO
CHECK IF YOU HAVE IT AND TO REMOVE IT NOW.

It was brought to my attention that a virus is Circulated
via email. I looked for it and to my surprise I found it on mine.
Please follow the directions and remove it from yours TODAY!

No Virus software can detect it. It will become active on
June 1, 2001. It might be too late by then. It wipes out all
files and folders in the hard drive. This virus travels thru
E-mail and migrates to the 'C:\windows\command' folder.
To find it and get rid of it off of your computer, do the
following.

Go to the "START" button.
Go to "FIND" or "SEARCH"
Go to "FILES & FOLDERS"
Make sure the find box is searching the "C:" drive.
Type in: SULFNBK.EXE
Begin search.
If it finds it, highlight it.
Go to 'File' and delete it.
Close the find Dialog box
Open the Recycle Bin
Find the file and delete it from the Recycle bin
You should be safe.

The bad part is: You need to contact everyone you have sent
ANY E-mail to in the past few months. Many major companies
have found this virus on their computers.


DO NOT RELY ON YOUR ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE. McAFEE and NORTON
CANNOT DETECT IT BECAUSE IT DOES NOT BECOME A VIRUS UNTIL
JUNE 1ST.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT OPEN THE FILE!!!


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[browndogsarebest]

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/sulfnbk.exe.warning.html

 

[Healey]

Thanks, just read that. In short, a hoax. In detail:

CAUTIONS:
* This particular email message is a hoax. The file that is mentioned in the
hoax, however, Sulfnbk.exe, is a Microsoft Windows utility that is used to
restore long file names, and like any .exe file, it can be infected by a
virus that targets .exe files.
* The virus/worm W32.Magistr.24876@mm can arrive as an attachment named
Sulfnbk.exe. The Sulfnbk.exe file used by Windows is located in the
C:\Windows\Command folder. If the file is located in any other folder, or
arrives as an attachment to a email message, then it is possible that the
file is infected. In this case, if a scan with the latest virus definitions
and with NAV set to scan all files does not detect the file as being
infected, quarantine and submit the file to SARC for analysis by following
the instructions in the document How to submit a file to SARC using Scan and
Deliver.
* If you have deleted the Sulfnbk.exe file from the C:\Windows\Command
folder and want to know how to restore the file, you should contact your
computer manufacturer or Microsoft for assistance. As an alternative, If you
are running Windows 98 or Windows Me, see the document How to extract files
in Safe Mode under Windows 98 or Windows Millennium.
NOTE: The instructions in this document are provided for your convenience.
The extraction of Windows files uses Microsoft programs and commands.
Symantec does not provide warranty support for or assistance with Microsoft
products.

 

[amdskip]

Thanks, my friends believed the warning.

 

[JayPatel]

i beleived it too when my gf sent me an email stating that she may have passed on a virus during email exchanges.

 

[AaronP]

my friend sent me the email and told me that he was scared and that he deleted the file. LOL. I had to email the file to him so he could put it back. hehe whoever created this one is good.