Christmas Tree

There have been a number of warning messages about Christmas Tree greeting card (TREE.EXE) that is allegedly being spread over the Internet.

Here's an example of a warning:

H

i everyone!

If you have received (from me or anyone) a Christmas tree that

has sparkles that you click to "dress" the tree, DELETE THIS

FILE!!! We were just warned that this executable file is set to

go off on Dec. 26th with a VIRUS - so, delete away!!!

Another warning looks like this:

Recently we mailed out a communication regarding the mailing of

Non-Business related attachments. It has been brought to our

attention that one of these attachments, TREE.EXE, may contain

the CIH Virus. This virus is said to wipe the "C" drive clean

on Dec. 26th. It's a cute program where you decorate a

Christmas tree, but after running it, it will remain dormant

until the 26th when it will wipe out everything on your hard

drive.

If you have this attachment in any of your mail messages, please

delete this attachment IMMEDIATELY.

DO NOT RUN TREE.EXE! DO NOT DETACH TREE.EXE! DO NOT FORWARD

TREE.EXE!

There exists a different warning message:

Hello every one,

You are of course free to do what you want, but READ this first.

Your whole harddrive will be erased if you happen to run into

it!

On the net is right now a big mailing of a christmas card with a

spruce as motif. It does not have any lights, but around the

room there are lights. When you click on them, the lights go on,

one by one, in the christmas tree. Once you've done this and is

about to exit, you will get a virus alert that there is a virus

in Explorer (your web browser) and you are asked to press one of

four buttons with different options to remove this virus. Then

you ERASE you're own program. Then the picture appears again

that you have no Explorer and you have a virus in the next

program, for instance you have a virus in Word and the same

thing there.

No matter which button you press everything turns out wrong. You

can't turn it off because it is already in Autostart so when the

computer boots up again it starts. A friend of mine lost ALL his

EXE-files yesterday because of this program. A SERIOUS WARNING

friends. Christmas cards can hold anything but this was scary. A

newly updated anti-virus program didn't catch it since it isn't

a ordinary virus, but a "delete-program" that you are tricked to

run yourself.

Spread this as soon as possible to everyone you know.

Please ignore any messages regarding this supposed "virus" and do not pass on any messages regarding it. Passing on messages about this hoax serves only to further propagate it.

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