Is this a virus, or a hoax?

[Cerberus]

My dad got an email from a friend, it reads the following:

"Subj: " Passed On Virus "  
Date: 30/06/03 20:58:28 GMT Daylight Time
From:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
File: BlankBkgrd.gif (145 bytes) DL Time (52000 bps): < 1 minute
Sent from the Internet (Details)
 



Hi folks, sorry about this but follow the simple instructions, it\'s easy.
Especially  sorry to you ( J Cooke ) seeing that you only went into my address book yesterday.
 
                                          --------------------------------------------------
BlankA virus has been passed to me by a contact. My address book in turn has been affected.
Since you are in my address book there is a good chance you will find it in your computer too.
 
I followed the directions below and eredicated the virus easily. The virus (called jdbgmgr.exe) is not detected
by Norton or McAfee anti-virus systems. The virus sits quietly for 14 days before damaging the system.
It is sent automatically by messenger and by the address book whether or not you sent emails to your contacts.
 
Here is how you check for the virus and get rid of it.
 
1.     Go to Start (bottom right hand corner of screen)  find or search option.
 
2.     In the file/folders option, type the name  jdbgmgr.exe
 
3.     Be sure to search your C: drive and all the subfolders and any other drives you may have.
 
4.     Click "find now"
 
5.     The virus has a teddy bear icon with the name jdbgmgr.exe.   DO NOT OPEN IT
 
6      Go to edit (on the menu bar), choose "select all" to highlight the file without opening it.
 
7.     Now go to the file (on the menu bar) and select delete. It will then go to recycle bin.
 
8.     EMPTY YOUR RECYCLE BIN.
 
If you do find that you have this virus. You must contact all the people in your address book so they can eradicate it in their own ADDRESS BOOKS.
 
To do this:
 
(a)  Open a new e-mail message
 
(b)  Click on the icon of the address book next to the "TO"
 
(c)  Highlight every name and add to "BCC"
 
(d)  Copy this message above and paste to e-mail.
 
(e)  Enter subject.
 
Apologise for the inconvenience and to those of you who have had this message several times from different people!"

My dad, without knowing (I\'m reletively computer illiterate, but compared to him, I\'m Bill Gates), panicked and immediately deleted the jdbgmgr.exe file. Then, about a week later, he got another email, forwarded from the same friend. That email went:

"Subj: Hoax Virus  
Date: 07/07/03 19:58:48 GMT Daylight Time
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
File: BlankBkgrd.gif (145 bytes) DL Time (52000 bps): < 1 minute
Sent from the Internet (Details)
 



Hi folks,
               sorry but I did\'nt know it was a hoax virus, Teddy Bear Virus.
I have just found out it is a hoax that as been going round the internet for
months, log onto;  ***link to antivirus site attached***
And it will give you a readout all about the hoax.
Again may I say how sorry I am."

Does anyone know if this is a hoax, or whether it is a genuie virus? My dad is fretting over it.

If it is NOT a virus, is the "jdbgmgr.exe" file a vital file, if so, what does it do, and where can I find it again?

Any help is much appreciated, don\'t bother posting if you are only going to piss about, I\'m more concerned about whether or not my dads pc is up the shitter.

Thanks for any help in advance.

I wouldn\'t worry about it.


This hoax, like the SULFNBK.EXE Warning hoax, tries to encourage you to delete a legitimate Windows file from your computer. Jdbgmgr.exe is the file to which the hoax refers, and it is the Microsoft Debugger Registrar for Java. The Jdbgmgr.exe file may be installed when you install Windows.

"The Microsoft Debugger Registrar for Java (Jdbgmgr.exe) is only used by Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1 developers.

If you follow the e-mail message instructions and delete this file, you do not have to recover it unless you use Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1 to develop Java programs on Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 98, or Windows 95."

[Kurt Angle]

It\'s just a hoax, look here for info

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/jdbgmgr.exe.file.hoax.html

http://hoaxinfo.com/jdbgmgr.htm

[Cerberus]

Yeah, I got that response from another foru7m I posted on, thanks for the help people.

Where can I find the file to replace it?

[Kurt Angle]

I believe it is only reinstalled when you reinstall Internet Explorer. But, , you do not have to recover it unless you use Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1 to develop Java programs on Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 98, or Windows 95.

So basically unless you are a programmer you don\'t need it.

[Cerberus]

Originally posted by Kurt Angle
I believe it is only reinstalled when you reinstall Internet Explorer. But, , you do not have to recover it unless you use Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1 to develop Java programs on Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 98, or Windows 95.

So basically unless you are a programmer you don\'t need it.

oh, ok. Thanks for the help

Just get updated virus protection and you\'ll be fine.  Only n00bs would trust an email rather than Norton or McAfee.

[Cerberus]

Originally posted by THX
Only n00bs would trust an email rather than Norton or McAfee.

That\'s what my dad is. To be honest, I hadn\'t heard of it either, but I would have checked first had it been me.

its been said a fw times no but yeh that is a virus, i know lloadsa peeps that did actually follow the instructions. Stupid dicks that started the whole thing