[ISN] [Vmyths.com ALERT] mi2g predicts ''catastrophic'' attack in 2004

[InfoSec News]

Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert
Truth About Computer Security Hysteria
{2 June 2004, 17:50 CT}

CATEGORY: Hysteria related to a publicity stunt

British firm "mi2g" issued a "news release" today to predict a heinous
Internet attack will occur this year.  They declared "the probability
of a catastrophic malware attack, defined as global damages in excess
of $100bn from a chain of combined events, has risen from 1 in 40
(2.5%) for 2003 to about 3 in 10 (30%) for 2004."

Vmyths dismisses the prediction as a blatant publicity stunt.

mi2g is famous in the security world for using a digital crystal ball
-- and this latest "news release" fails to buttress a supposed
twelve-fold increase in the accuracy of their beliefs.  Vmyths has
documented a string of bad mi2g predictions dating back to 1999.  Two
recent examples include (1) a terrorist cyber-strike on the first
anniversary of the "9/11" attacks and (2) a crippling cyber-war during
the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

mi2g did not pinpoint who might launch their newest predicted
catastrophe.  They talked only in vague terms about "hacking groups,"
"criminal syndicates," and "politically and ideologically motivated"
organizations.  mi2g speculated the masterminds will use diabolical
"automated malware agents distributed through email spam, viruses and
worms" to "convert millions of computers to zombies for nefarious
purposes."  mi2g left "nefarious purposes" to the reader's
imagination.

mi2g defined a "catastrophic malware attack" as "global damages in
excess of $100bn."  This is convenient, because mi2g is the media's
ONLY source for absurdly precise virus damage costs.  Vmyths believes
media outlets will embrace the new publicity stunt for exactly this
reason.  Gullible reporters routinely fall for mi2g's fearmongering
predictions, wild damage guesstimates, irrelevant granfalloons, and
creative phrases like "global digital eco-system" and "digital risk
fallout."

Vmyths has repeatedly slammed mi2g over the years for its blatant PR
stunts.  This latest "news alert" is actually a thinly veiled plug for
their "D2-Banking" service.  We've highlighted mi2g in multiple
Hysteria Alerts and we maintain a "Hysteria roll call" resource on
them:

   mi2g "Hysteria roll call" resource:
      http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=64&page=1
   Hysteria Alerts archive:
      http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=34&page=1

Vmyths insists you should never take mi2g's claims at face value.  
For example, they trumpet themselves as a computer security firm
"since 1995" when in fact they wormed their way into the security
world in 1999.

mi2g has threatened in the past to sue Vmyths for libel (see
http://Vmyths.com/rant.cfm?id=497&page=4 for details).  For the
record: we stand by our criticisms.  However, Vmyths prides itself for
an industry-leading "corrections and clarifications" page.  Anyone may
write to VeaCulpa at Vmyths.com to contest our claims & accusations.  
Anyone may visit http://Vmyths.com/rant.cfm?id=470&page=4 to rebut our
opinions & criticisms.

Don't take mi2g's "news alerts" at face value.  Stay calm.  Stay
reasoned.  And stay tuned to Vmyths.

Rob Rosenberger, editor
http://Vmyths.com
Rob at Vmyths.com
(319) 646-2800

Acknowledgements: confidential source

CATEGORY: Hysteria related to a publicity stunt

--------------- Useful links ------------------

Remember this when virus hysteria strikes
http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=31&page=1

Common clichés in the antivirus world
http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=22&page=1

False Authority Syndrome
http://Vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm