There are a lot of viruses out there, yet some aren't really out there at all. Virus hoaxes are most often received as email messages with strong and frightful warnings that urge the recipient to forward them to as many people as they can. The tactic is used to get that email into as many mailboxes as possible. The actual threat they're publicizing is completely false. Virus hoaxes are more than mere annoyances, as they may lead some users to routinely ignore all virus warning messages, leaving them vulnerable to a genuine, destructive virus. Not all hoaxes appear as virus warnings, however. Some instead tell a sad or magnificent story, again urging the recipient to forward it to as many people as possible. When you receive an urgent virus warning message or any email that asks you to forward it to others, research it on any of these sites:

For an example of a virus hoax that has been used in the past (called the "postcard virus"), click here: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_postcard_virus.htm
Security alerts
Phishing attempts via tabnapping

Recent phishing attempts have taken advantage of inactive tabs in browsers by changing the page content to prompt users for login credentials.  These attacks can be executed without changing the URL in the navigation toolbar.

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Common threats
Most users ignore security certificates

Warnings of invalid security certificates for websites can mean that there is a technical problem with the site or that the web user is being directed to a fake website.  A lab study showed that 55-100% of surfers simply ignored the warnings and continued to browse,  even when visiting important sites like banks!

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Security terms
Rootkit -

Malware that invades the system at an especially deep level, emulating parts of the operating   system. Like botnets, this usually is the payload of a worm or Trojan.

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© 2010 Bright House Networks

Disclaimer: These tools have been provided for your convenience as a courtesy of the owner free of charge to the public for personal use only. All rights have been reserved by the producer of the software. Bright House Networks, Road Runner, and the software owner assumes no responsibility or liability for their use. Also, we do not offer technical support for these tools, but it can be obtained from the software owner. The products are offered by the software owner to be used free of charge and "as is" with no warranty, and no guarantee of success in preventing malicious software (malware) of any type from entering your computer, or in trying to remove it. However, Bright House Networks security departments have been able to use these tools with some success. We wanted to make you aware of their existence to provide you with additional options in the fight against malware.