NetPlus Communications     Sulfnbk.exe Virus Hoax

The following hoax email has been reported in Brazil. The original email is in Portuguese; it is followed by an English translation.

CAUTIONS:

Original Portuguese version:

Vocês acreditam que uma amiga da lista enviou um alerta e os procedimentos que deveriam ser tomados para a possível detecção do maledeto SULFNBK.EXE. e eu fui conferir só por desencargo de consciência. Pois é...O bichinho tava lá, escondidinho até da McAfee e do Norton, talvez esperando algum gatilho prá começar a trabalhar, né?
Aí vão, moçada, as orientações que eu segui à risca e que me levaram ao tal coisinha ruím:
 
1 - Iniciar/Localizar Pastas. Digite o nome do "mardito": SULFNBK.EXE
2 - Se for encontrado, abra o Windows Explorer, vá até a pasta onde ele se encontra alojado e delete-o de lá ou do próprio ambiente do Localizar; - Não click com o botão esquerdo sobre ele e não abra o arquivo nem em caso de incêndio, ok?
3 - Apenas delete o bichinho.
4 - O meu estava em Windows/Command.
5 - O vírus da pessoa que passou o aviso estava em Windows/Config.

Sim, o Norton e nem o McAfee não detectou.
Não sabemos se ele faz algum estrago na máquina, mas acho que ninguém aqui vai querer testar para saber, né?
Gente, sem brincadeiras, já tirei o meu daqui....
E nem imaginava que tivesse hóspedes no PC.
Minha vacina está super-atualizada!!!
Façam o mesmo, ok?


Translated English version:

Do you believe that a friend of mine sent me an alert and the procedure that we have to follow for the possible infection of SULFNBK.EXE. And I had checked, just to make sure. An then... the file was there, hidden even of McAfee and Norton, maybe waiting something to start work.
Well, see bellow the procedure that I followed step by step, and I found the file:

1. Start/Find Folders. Type the file name: SULFNBK.EXE
2. If it find, open Windows Explorer, browse into the folder where the file is and delete it. Do not click with left button on the file and do not open it.
3. Just delete it
4. Mine was on Windows/Command
5. The virus from the person who gave the alert was on Windows/Config

Yes, Norton and McAfee do not detect it.
We do not know if it makes some damage on the machine, but I think that anybody will not want to test it to know, will it?
Folks, this is not fun, I deleted it from my computer.
And my definitions are updated.
Do the same, ok?

A new version of this hoax has additional text stating that the virus will activate on June 1st:

It was brought to my attention yesterday that a virus is in circulation via email. I looked for it and to my surprise I found it on mine. ..
Please follow the directions and remove it from yours TODAY!!!!!!!

No Virus software can detect it.  It will become active on June 1, 2001.
It might be too late by then. It wipes out all files and folders on
the hard drive. This virus travels thru E-mail and migrates to the
'C:\windows\command' folder. 

The bad part is: You need to contact everyone you have sent ANY
E-mail to in the past few months. Many major companies have found this virus on
their computers. Please help your friends !!!!!!!!

DO NOT RELY ON YOUR ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE. McAFEE and NORTON CANNOT
DETECT IT BECAUSE IT DOES NOT BECOME A VIRUS UNTIL JUNE 1ST.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT OPEN THE FILE!!!

**How to restore the Sulfnbk.exe file
If you have deleted this file, restoration is optional. Sulfnbk.exe is a Microsoft Windows utility that is used to restore long file names. It is not needed for normal system operation. If you want to restore it, there is more than one way to do this. See the information that follows.

NOTE: The instructions in this document are provided for your convenience. The extraction of Windows files uses Microsoft programs and commands. Symantec does not provide warranty support for or assistance with Microsoft products. If you have any questions, please see you Windows documentation or contact Microsoft.

Windows Me
If you are using Windows Me, you can restore the file using the System Configuration Utility.

    1. Click Start and then click Run.
    2. Type msconfig and then press Enter.
    3. Click Extract Files. The "Extract one file from installation disk" dialog box appears.
    4. In the "Specify the system file you would like to restore" box, type the following, and then click Start:

    c:\windows\command\sulfnbk.exe

    NOTE: If you installed Windows to a different location, make the appropriate substitution.

    The Extract File dialog box appears.

    5. Next to the "Restore from" box, click Browse, and browse to the location of the Windows installation files. If they were copied to the hard drive, this is, by default, C:\Windows\Options\Install. You can also insert the Windows installation CD in the CD-ROM drive and browse to that location.
    6. Click OK and follow the prompts.

Windows 98
If you are using Windows Me, you can restore the file using the System File Checker.

    1. Click Start and then click Run.
    2. Type sfc and then press Enter.
    3. Click "Extract one file from installation disk."
    4. In the "Specify the system file you would like to restore" box, type the following, and then click Start:

    c:\windows\command\sulfnbk.exe

    NOTE: If you installed Windows to a different location, make the appropriate substitution.

    The Extract File dialog box appears.

    5. Next to the "Restore from" box click Browse, and browse to the location of the Windows installation files. If they were copied to the hard drive, this is, by default, C:\Windows\Options\Cabs. You can also insert the Windows installation CD in the CD-ROM drive and browse to that location.
    6. Click OK and follow the prompts.

Windows 95 (or alternative method for Windows 98/Me)
If you are using Windows 95, you need to use the extract command. This can also be used on Windows 98/Me.

    1. Click Start, point to Find or Search, and then click Files or Folders.
    2. Make sure that "Look in" is set to (C:) and that Include subfolders is checked.
    3. In the "Named" or "Search for..." box, type:

    precopy1

    4. Click Find Now or Search Now. If it does not exist on the hard drive, then insert the Windows installation CD and repeat the search on that drive.
    5. When you find the file, write down the location of Precopy1, for example, C:\Windows\Options\Cabs. This is your Source Path.
    6. The general form of the Extract command is:

    extract <Source Path>\precopy1.cab sulfnbk.exe /L c:\windows\command

    So if the source path is C:\Windows\Options\Cabs, then the Extract command becomes:

    extract c:\windows\options\cabs\precopy1.cab sulfnbk.exe /L c:\windows\command

    NOTE: If you installed Windows to a different location, make the appropriate substitution.

    7. Click Start and then click Run.
    8. Type the following, making the appropriate substitutions as previously noted

    extract <Source Path>\precopy1.cab sulfnbk.exe /L c:\windows\command

    9. Click OK.

For more information on how to use the Microsoft Extract command, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base document, How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files, Article ID: Q129605

Please ignore any messages regarding this hoax and do not pass on messages. Passing on messages about the hoax only serves to further propagate it.


Write-up by: Patrick Martin,
Reported on: April 17, 2001
For full original copy of this writeup please visit the symantic site at:
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/pf/sulfnbk.exe.warning.html