[ISN] [Vmyths.com ALERT] mi2g predicts ''catastrophic'' attack in 2004

From: InfoSec News (isn@private)
Date: Thu Jun 03 2004 - 00:33:29 PDT

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    Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert
    Truth About Computer Security Hysteria
    {2 June 2004, 17:50 CT}
    
    CATEGORY: Hysteria related to a publicity stunt
    
    British firm "mi2g" issued a "news release" today to predict a heinous
    Internet attack will occur this year.  They declared "the probability
    of a catastrophic malware attack, defined as global damages in excess
    of $100bn from a chain of combined events, has risen from 1 in 40
    (2.5%) for 2003 to about 3 in 10 (30%) for 2004."
    
    Vmyths dismisses the prediction as a blatant publicity stunt.
    
    mi2g is famous in the security world for using a digital crystal ball
    -- and this latest "news release" fails to buttress a supposed
    twelve-fold increase in the accuracy of their beliefs.  Vmyths has
    documented a string of bad mi2g predictions dating back to 1999.  Two
    recent examples include (1) a terrorist cyber-strike on the first
    anniversary of the "9/11" attacks and (2) a crippling cyber-war during
    the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
    
    mi2g did not pinpoint who might launch their newest predicted
    catastrophe.  They talked only in vague terms about "hacking groups,"
    "criminal syndicates," and "politically and ideologically motivated"
    organizations.  mi2g speculated the masterminds will use diabolical
    "automated malware agents distributed through email spam, viruses and
    worms" to "convert millions of computers to zombies for nefarious
    purposes."  mi2g left "nefarious purposes" to the reader's
    imagination.
    
    mi2g defined a "catastrophic malware attack" as "global damages in
    excess of $100bn."  This is convenient, because mi2g is the media's
    ONLY source for absurdly precise virus damage costs.  Vmyths believes
    media outlets will embrace the new publicity stunt for exactly this
    reason.  Gullible reporters routinely fall for mi2g's fearmongering
    predictions, wild damage guesstimates, irrelevant granfalloons, and
    creative phrases like "global digital eco-system" and "digital risk
    fallout."
    
    Vmyths has repeatedly slammed mi2g over the years for its blatant PR
    stunts.  This latest "news alert" is actually a thinly veiled plug for
    their "D2-Banking" service.  We've highlighted mi2g in multiple
    Hysteria Alerts and we maintain a "Hysteria roll call" resource on
    them:
    
       mi2g "Hysteria roll call" resource:
          http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=64&page=1
       Hysteria Alerts archive:
          http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=34&page=1
    
    Vmyths insists you should never take mi2g's claims at face value.  
    For example, they trumpet themselves as a computer security firm
    "since 1995" when in fact they wormed their way into the security
    world in 1999.
    
    mi2g has threatened in the past to sue Vmyths for libel (see
    http://Vmyths.com/rant.cfm?id=497&page=4 for details).  For the
    record: we stand by our criticisms.  However, Vmyths prides itself for
    an industry-leading "corrections and clarifications" page.  Anyone may
    write to VeaCulpa@private to contest our claims & accusations.  
    Anyone may visit http://Vmyths.com/rant.cfm?id=470&page=4 to rebut our
    opinions & criticisms.
    
    Don't take mi2g's "news alerts" at face value.  Stay calm.  Stay
    reasoned.  And stay tuned to Vmyths.
    
    Rob Rosenberger, editor
    http://Vmyths.com
    Rob@private
    (319) 646-2800
    
    Acknowledgements: confidential source
    
    CATEGORY: Hysteria related to a publicity stunt
    
    --------------- Useful links ------------------
    
    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
    
    False Authority Syndrome
    http://Vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm
    
    
    
    
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