Trend Micro balks at Reuters hysteria

[William Knowles <wk () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert <vmyths_news () vmyths com>

Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert
{20 January 2004, 19:10 CT}

Reuters reporter Jennifer Tan filed a newswire last week to say
"computer virus attacks cost global businesses an estimated $55
billion in damages in 2003."  Her story quotes Trend Micro employee
Lionel Phang, who works in the firm's Singapore office.  A number of
news sites carried Tan's newswire and translated it into multiple
languages.

Two spokesmen at Trend Micro called Vmyths in an effort to balk at the
Reuters newswire.  Spokesman Michael Sweeny flatly dismissed the
guesstimate as "wrong."  Spokesman David Perry insists Trend Micro
CANNOT gauge a damage value -- because they simply don't collect the
required data.

Tan's newswire failed to explain how Phang derived his guesstimate.  
She also failed to say if Phang meant U.S. dollars or Singapore
dollars.  (There is nearly a 2-to-1 difference between those
currencies.)  Cub reporters often make these mistakes.

It appears Reuters pulled the newswire from their lineup, but we
didn't find a retraction or clarification.  Based on previous history,
Vmyths suspects Reuters will feign indifference in order to save face.  
Cub reporter Jennifer Tan will probably learn a lesson, and life will
go on.

History suggests this "$55 billion" URBAN LEGEND will thrive in the
computer security world.  Believe it or not, virus experts are a
relatively gullible bunch who tell whoppers with a perfectly straight
face.  See http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=29&page=1 to learn about
this phenomenon.

Employees are only human, and Trend Micro often goes out of its way to
correct the record.  Their spokesmen disowned Phang's guesstimate when
copycat reporters called for a quote.  Vmyths congratulates Trend
Micro for taking the high road.

Employees are only human ... but Lionel Phang may be "more human" than
most.  He has slipped up at least once before when talking to
reporters.  Phang may be suffering from a mild case of "False
Authority Syndrome."  Vmyths urges him to read
http://Vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm as soon as possible.

Stay calm.  Stay reasoned.  Learn how to distinguish U.S. dollars from
Singapore dollars.  And stay tuned to Vmyths.

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

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

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

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



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