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Phony mobile phone virus causes panic

By Derek Sooman

On August 19, 2004, 4:24 AM

"Outbreak: I'm infecting you with t-virus, my code is ******. Forward this to 60022 to get your own code and chance to win prizes. More at t-virus.co.uk." So reads a typical, unsolicited text message sent to mobile phones claiming that the phone is infected, without the permission of the phone's owner.

Are we looking at a next generation mobile phone virus? The latest work of some middle-aged, anti-social computer genius who spends his days and nights working from his elderly Mom's basement, writing C++ in his underpants? No, we are in fact looking at a marketing campaign to promote the latest version of the Resident Evil video game, Resident Evil: Outbreak.

The messages are not infectious, but some people have panicked, thinking the virus is real, and have reported it. AV company Sophos is currently dealing with a great deal of the fallout.

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