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 - ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org To unsubscribe email majordomo@private with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY of the mail.
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