Virus hoaxes can be damaging to productivity as people stop to read them, send them to friends and contacts, and in some cases switch off computers in a panic. IT managers are then distracted from their usual priorities to deal with a flood of messages which often turn out to be a joke - but not a very funny one. This message uses hoax virus techniques in terms of shock value, but steers clear of the usual capital letters and corporate endorsement, which signify a typical hoax. On the flip side, you have to respect the National Aids Trust for using such a topical subject and one that people will inevitable read to get their message across. The email was powerful - reminding us all of the way HIV spreads, the damage it has already done, as well as how to support World Aids Day.
Lets face it, the analogies are abundant.
As an internet security company we can't condone this type of viral marketing and use of virus alerts, but as a human beings we can't condemn it either.