It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful or Life is Beautiful Hoax - VIRUS HOAX

[laurentio]

Subject:
"It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful"
or, the older version of the hoax:
Life is Beautiful Hoax (English)

Type:

Malware Related


Description:
This hoax warns of a new virus that can be transmitted from the infected computer to the user. It uses prominent names in the IT industry to appear convincing. According to this warning message, a dangerous virus is being distributed via emails with the subject line "Mail Server Report". The warning claims that opening attachments that come with the email will first display a message saying "It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful" before destroying all files on the infected computer and stealing personal information.

However these claims are untrue. There is not, nor has there ever been, a virus like the one described in this bogus warning message. The warning is just a rehashed version of the long-running Life is Beautiful virus hoax that has circulated continually since 2002. As the following example shows, the two versions are very similar:

Original Message (2002):
You may receive an e-mail about an offensive Powerpoint Presentation, entitled "Life is beautiful.pps". If you get it, DO NOT OPEN THE FILE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE and delete it immediately!!!! If you open that file, a message will appear on your screen, "Now it is late, your life is no longer beautiful", and you'll lose EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC and the person who sent it will have access to your name, e-mail address, and password. It is a new virus which started to run on Saturday night. Antivirus software cannot destroy the virus.
The Virus was created by a hacker that nominates himself as the owner of life and wants to destroy PCs domestic, and fight against Microsoft injustice! Because of this it comes disguised with a .PPS extension. He fights in justice by the patent of the Windows-XP.
PLEASE SEND THIS E-MAIL TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!

Recent Variant (2008):
VERY IMPORTANT WARNING
Please Be Extremely Careful especially if using internet mail such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and so on. This information arrived this morning direct from both Microsoft and Norton.
Please send it to everybody you know who has access to the Internet.
You may receive an apparently harmless email with a Power Point presentation "Life is beautiful"
If you receive it DO NOT OPEN THE FILE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, and delete it immediately. If you open this file, a message will appear on your screen saying: "It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful." Subsequently you will LOSE EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC and the person who sent it to you will gain access to your name, e-mail and password.
This is a new virus which started to circulate on Saturday afternoon. AOL has already confirmed the severity, and the antivirus software's are not capable of destroying i t. The virus has been created by a hacker who calls himself "life owner "
PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THIS EMAIL TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS and ask them to PASS IT ON IMMEDIATELY.

Unfortunately, this variant of the old email hoax is causing some confusion because the name "Mail Server Report" was used in a real threat that was distributed back in 2006.
The real "Mail Server Report" emails carried a variant of the W32.Stration worm that could download and install remote files and send itself to email addresses harvested from the infected machine. However, other than the name, the two threats described have no connection whatsoever.

The real Mail Server Report worm was certainly malicious, but it did not destroy all files on the infected computer. Moreover, the genuine Mail Server Report worm is no longer considered a significant threat and, in spite of the claim in the hoax message, virtually all decent anti-virus scanners can detect and remove it.

Thus, forwarding this pointless virus "warning" will only spread misinformation and clutter e-mail boxes with even more unwanted nonsense. If you receive this email, please do not forward it and take a moment to inform the sender that the information is untrue. Before forwarding any virus warning it is important to check the veracity of the information on a reputable anti-virus, anti-hoax website or simply contact your IT department. No IT department? Then just drop us a line.

If the message contains a link that supposedly confirms its claims, be sure to read the linked article carefully to ensure that the two are really related. Pranksters commonly include links to unrelated articles in hoax emails in the hope of fooling recipients into falling for their foolish claims.

Click here if you want to know why people create email hoaxes.