Fact Check

'Black Muslim in the White House' Virus

Virus warning: A computer virus called 'Black Muslim in the White House' will burn your entire hard drive.

Published Aug. 3, 2010

 (Diego Cambiaso/Flickr)
Image Via Diego Cambiaso/Flickr
Claim:
A virus is circulating with the name "Black in the White House" (aka "Black Muslim in the White House").

The 'Black [Muslim] in the White House' virus warning is yet another variant of the same basic computer virus hoax that has been circulating in various languages since at least 2000, with occasional changes along the way. The original form of this virus hoax was its incarnation as the "[Virtual] Card for You" hoax, then in time for the 2006 Winter Olympics someone dusted it off and reintroduced it as an "Olympic Torch" virus warning (also known as the "Invitation virus").

After the inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009, the same hoax was repackaged as a warning about a non-existent virus called "Black in the White House" (since modified to "Black Muslim in the White House"). In 2010, the same hoax was circulated yet again, this time with a tongue-in-cheek notice that virus mailings were accompanied by pictures of Gordon Brown (then the UK's Prime Minister) "actually smiling."

The bottom line is that no matter what the title du jour might be, this warning is pure hoax: No such (incurable) virus like the one described in this warning exists, has been identified by McAfee, or was reported on by CNN.

Additional information:  

https://home.mcafee.com/VirusInfo/VirusProfile.aspx?key=98893 A Virtual Card for You Hoax
(McAfee)

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.