Alleged Email from Microsoft

[Mr. Stewart]

This is the second time that I've received an email that
says I should download and install a patch to protect my
computer. I'm no genius, but this is very odd. First of
all its the same message with a different sender name. I
can't remember the last name, but now it says Microsoft
and the file name is "patch.exe". Even the name of the
file seems odd given that it doesn't have a patch number
associated with it. Also, this is what the message says.

"Dear friend , use this Internet Explorer patch now!
There are dangerous virus in the Internet now!
More than 500.000 already infected!"

Right now I'm 100% against downloading this file. Not only
that, but if I download a patch its usually done with
windows update manager and I download the files directly
from the Microsoft website. I would like to know if this
is some kind of virus that someone is trying to send
around.

 

[GwD]

Here is a big hint for you.

Microsoft NEVER sends out patches in a E-Mail.

 

[Scott M.]

This is NOT mail from Microsoft. MS does NOT email users about security
issues. DELETE the message immediately as it is surely an attempt to infect
your pc with a virus or get you to divulge info. that is private.

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Mr. Stewart,

Microsoft *NEVER* distributes software via email. The mail which you received is not from Microsoft, though the from address says so.

Virus attachment claims to contain software updates from Microsoft
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/VirusAlert.htm

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k
-------------------------------------------
Prevent Spyware from being installed:
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
-------------------------------------------


This is the second time that I've received an email that
says I should download and install a patch to protect my
computer. I'm no genius, but this is very odd. First of
all its the same message with a different sender name. I
can't remember the last name, but now it says Microsoft
and the file name is "patch.exe". Even the name of the
file seems odd given that it doesn't have a patch number
associated with it. Also, this is what the message says.

"Dear friend , use this Internet Explorer patch now!
There are dangerous virus in the Internet now!
More than 500.000 already infected!"

Right now I'm 100% against downloading this file. Not only
that, but if I download a patch its usually done with
windows update manager and I download the files directly
from the Microsoft website. I would like to know if this
is some kind of virus that someone is trying to send
around.

 

[Never anonymous Bud]

While still snuggled in a 'spider hole', "Mr. Stewart"

This is the second time that I've received an email that
says I should download and install a patch to protect my
computer.

A) Microsoft does NOT send updates by email.

B) If in doubt, see A, above.

I'm no genius,

But you were smart enough to NOT click on it.
That alone makes you smarter than a LOT of other internet users.






To reply by email, remove the XYZ.

Lumber Cartel (tinlc) #2063. Spam this account at your own risk.

This sig censored by the Office of Home and Land Insecurity....

 

[Richard Mason]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004, Scott M. wrote in

MS does NOT email users about security issues.

They do if you sign up to their notification service.
http://tinyurl.com/76x

 

[Scott M.]

If the OP had signed up, do you think he'd be asking about the message he
got in the first place?

 

[Jerry Kutcher]

This is an old scam which has been around for quite a while now
Jerry K

If the OP had signed up, do you think he'd be asking about the message he
got in the first place?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

What you received is the output of a computer infected by one of
several widely publicized, wide-spread, mass emailing worms. The
virus' authors have deliberately spoofed the Microsoft information in
the hopes of garnering more victims. This sort of email has been
quite common for at least the past 9 months. The most widely-known
are:

W32.Swen.A_mm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected]

W32.Dumaru_mm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected]

W32.Gibe_mm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected]

Trojan.Xombe
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.xombe.html

Microsoft never has, does not currently, and very probably never
will email unsolicited security patches. At the most, if, and only
if, you subscribe to their security notification newsletter, they will
send you an email informing you that a new patch is available for
downloading.

Microsoft Policies on Software Distribution
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/?url=/technet/security/policy/swdist.asp

Information on Bogus Microsoft Security Bulletin Emails
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/news/patch_hoax.asp

How to Tell If a Microsoft Security-Related Message Is Genuine
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/authenticate_mail.asp

Remember, any and all legitimate patches and updates are readily
available at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/. You should develop
the habit of checking this site at least once a month to keep your
computer up-to-date. (Notice that this is the true URL, rather than
the bogus one that may have been contained in the email you received.)
Any messages that point to any other source(s) or claim to have the
patch attached are bogus.

You're receiving these emails because your email address is in
the address book of someone infected with a worm, and/or because you
posted your real email address somewhere on-line, either in a forum
accessible to the public and spambots, such as Usenet, or on an
untrustworthy web site that subsequently sold your address as part of
a mailing list. One thing you can do is notify _everyone_ with whom
you've ever corresponded via email that one or more of them may be
infected with a mass emailing worm, and should take the appropriate
steps.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Scott M.]

Yes, we all know that. That is why we are telling the OP that it's not a
real message.

 

[Richard Mason]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004, Scott M. wrote in

If the OP had signed up, do you think he'd be asking about the message
he got in the first place?

No, but irrelevant. Your statement "MS does NOT email users about
security issues" stands, without qualification, in a sentence by itself
and is incorrect. I am a user and I receive email from MS about security
issues.

 

[Scott M.]

Ok Richard:

MS does NOT send unsolicited email users about security issues.

 

[Alex Nichol]

This is the second time that I've received an email that
says I should download and install a patch to protect my
computer. I'm no genius, but this is very odd.

It is a trojan that is swanning around, and getting itself replicated
wherever it infects: which it does when someone runs the attachment. It
is a very convincing pretence, except that Microsoft *never* sends out
patches by attachment to mail. At the most there would be a suggestion
of going to a specified page on the Microsoft site - and even that is
not sent to ordinary users