Hoaxes can be a major drain on an IT department’s resources. Unfortunately, many hoaxes are simply time-wasting pranks intended to make fun of novice or clueless users, but others include instructions that, if followed, will wreak havoc on a personal system or even a network. And many of the hoax e-mails that don’t contain malicious payloads or damaging directions are used by spammers to collect new victims’ addresses.

Just because hoaxes may not contain anything damaging does not mean they should be ignored. Not only will they get you on spam lists, the original hoax can be hijacked and turned into a malicious attack.

As usual, educating users is the best way to combat any threats from hoaxes. One way to educate used is by having a detailed usage policy that all users have to read and follow. Part of the guide could be a brief explanation of the basic threats and problems faced by businesses using the Internet.

A brief introductory talk to staff and new workers covering the following topics would be suffice for most employees:

• Virus threats are not announced by e-mails. These are always hoaxes and the IT department is usually notified about new viruses long before you could get an e-mail warning.
• E-mail addresses can be hijacked. If a message appears to be from someone you trust but the message seems somehow odd, it is probably a fake message that was automatically forwarded by a virus.
• Never open any unexpected e-mail attachments.
• Never forward any virus threat e-mails or attempt to deal with the supposed threat by following instructions contained in an e-mail. Contact the IT department if you have a concern, and it will take any necessary actions.

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• Pranks! (RE/Search, No. 11)
• Museum of Hoaxes: A Collection of Pranks, Stunts, And Other Wonderful Stories Contrived for the Public from the Middle Ages to the New Millennium
• The Museum of Hoaxes - A Collection of Pranks, Stunts, Deceptions and Other Wonderful Stories Contrived For The Public from the Middle Ages to the New Millennium