How to tell whether a virus threat is real or just a hoax?

Keep the following links handy the next time a user sends you an email saying that one of their AOL buddies alerted them to a new and threatening virus. These links should be your first line of defense when a new virus is reported in the wild:

• CERT Institute (http://www.cert.org)
  
• McAfee's Virus Hoaxes (http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp)
  
• Symantec's Hoax Page (http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html)
  
• TrendMicro Hoax Page (http://www.antivirus.com/vinfo/hoaxes/hoax.asp)
  
• Sophos' Hoax Page (http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/hoaxes/)
  
• Virus Busters (http://www.itd.umich.edu/virusbusters/)
  
• Virus Myths (http://www.stiller.com/myths.htm)
  
• Hoax Warnings (http://www.europe.datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm)