I spend an incredible amount of time each year dispelling rumors and correcting myths that flow freely on the Internet - usually via e-mail chain letters. What amuses me most, though, is the frequency in which the exact same deception can re-circulate.

This morning I planned to write my article on another topic, but what was posted on the company bulletin board? A copy of The "Win a Holiday" virus hoax. One of the many variants of the infamous "Good Times Virus" hoax.

The directive of this e-mail chain letter reads, "If you receive an email titled "WIN A HOLIDAY" DO NOT open it. It will erase everything on your hard drive. Forward this letter out to as many people as you can..."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Computer Incident Advisory Capability (CIAC), the authoritative source on malicious codes, "reading a mail message does not execute the mail message. Trojans and viruses have been found as executable attachments to mail messages, but they must be extracted and executed to do any harm. CIAC still affirms that reading E-mail, using typical mail agents, can not activate malicious code delivered in or with the message."

In other words, you can't get a virus or Trojan from just reading e-mail. You can, though, get a virus or activate a Trojan by saving an e-mail attachment (even a Microsoft Word or Lotus 1-2-3 document) and then "running" the program later.

It is important to understand, that while some files (like Microsoft Word documents) would, at first, seem to not really be "programs," they can contain "macros" that could be automatically run when opening these files. These destructive macros can wreak just as much damage as any other viruses. So similar precautions should be taken.

In fact, according to Computer Virus Myths, a very reputable site, there are "ZERO" known e-mail, HTML, Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, CMOS, video RAM, BIOS, GIF/JPG/JPEG, or AVI/MOV viruses.

Computer Virus Myths further explains, "There are several methods to identify virus hoaxes, but first consider what makes a successful hoax on the Internet. There are two known factors that make a successful virus hoax, they are: (1) technical sounding language, and (2) credibility by association. If the warning uses the proper technical jargon, most individuals, including technologically savvy individuals, tend to believe the warning is real."

If you want to check if a chain letter is a known hoax, select the A-Z listing on the Computer Virus Myths site and be slow to scream "the sky is falling" the instant you get an alert.

Well know hoaxes include EBOLA, NaughtyRobot, Valentines Greeting, Pen Pal and granddaddy of them all, Good Times. When reading your e-mail, watch for these titles or subjects and recognize them as common myths.

On a related topic, there are also "urban legends" that you need to look for including the Craig Shergold / Make-A-Wish Foundation plea to send business cards for a new record in the Guinness Book of World Records and the Jessica Mydek plea to forward an e-mail that will create a three cent donation from the American Cancer Society for each name added. Both claims are balderdash and have been denied on their Website by the respective organizations.

In the broadest sense, real viruses are unwanted programs that annoy--at best and destroy--at worst. Viruses and their related uninvited guests, Trojans, (an allusion to the mythical Trojan Horse) can display simple messages or can erase all of your computer data.

How do you protect yourself from real viruses? Simple, get a good virus-checking program and use it!

To get the latest in virus information, "How to Handle a Virus Attack," or the best in anti-viral software, visit AntiVirus Resources. Here is where you learn which software is best for your needs and how it is used.

To best protect your beloved data, become informed on viruses, dissuade people from spreading virus rumors and, above all, protect your data with a good virus-checking program on a regular basis.