[ISN] Trend Micro balks at Reuters hysteria

From: William Knowles (wk@private)
Date: Thu Jan 22 2004 - 00:21:08 PST

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    Forwarded from: Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert <vmyths_news@private>
    
    Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert
    {20 January 2004, 19:10 CT}
    
    Reuters reporter Jennifer Tan filed a newswire last week to say
    "computer virus attacks cost global businesses an estimated $55
    billion in damages in 2003."  Her story quotes Trend Micro employee
    Lionel Phang, who works in the firm's Singapore office.  A number of
    news sites carried Tan's newswire and translated it into multiple
    languages.
    
    Two spokesmen at Trend Micro called Vmyths in an effort to balk at the
    Reuters newswire.  Spokesman Michael Sweeny flatly dismissed the
    guesstimate as "wrong."  Spokesman David Perry insists Trend Micro
    CANNOT gauge a damage value -- because they simply don't collect the
    required data.
    
    Tan's newswire failed to explain how Phang derived his guesstimate.  
    She also failed to say if Phang meant U.S. dollars or Singapore
    dollars.  (There is nearly a 2-to-1 difference between those
    currencies.)  Cub reporters often make these mistakes.
    
    It appears Reuters pulled the newswire from their lineup, but we
    didn't find a retraction or clarification.  Based on previous history,
    Vmyths suspects Reuters will feign indifference in order to save face.  
    Cub reporter Jennifer Tan will probably learn a lesson, and life will
    go on.
    
    History suggests this "$55 billion" URBAN LEGEND will thrive in the
    computer security world.  Believe it or not, virus experts are a
    relatively gullible bunch who tell whoppers with a perfectly straight
    face.  See http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=29&page=1 to learn about
    this phenomenon.
    
    Employees are only human, and Trend Micro often goes out of its way to
    correct the record.  Their spokesmen disowned Phang's guesstimate when
    copycat reporters called for a quote.  Vmyths congratulates Trend
    Micro for taking the high road.
    
    Employees are only human ... but Lionel Phang may be "more human" than
    most.  He has slipped up at least once before when talking to
    reporters.  Phang may be suffering from a mild case of "False
    Authority Syndrome."  Vmyths urges him to read
    http://Vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm as soon as possible.
    
    Stay calm.  Stay reasoned.  Learn how to distinguish U.S. dollars from
    Singapore dollars.  And stay tuned to Vmyths.
    
    Rob Rosenberger, editor
    http://Vmyths.com
    (319) 646-2800
    
    --------------- Useful links ------------------
    
    False Authority Syndrome
    http://Vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm
    
    Remember this when virus hysteria strikes
    http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=31&page=1
    
    Common clichés in the antivirus world
    http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=22&page=1
    
    
    
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