emails from microsoft

[Lyn from Oz]

I received an email from microsoft in September, saying
there is an attachment that contains a patch for all known
bugs or whatever. I've been too scared to open it. I
thought I heard on television that microsoft don't send
things like this through email, that they contain
malicious stuff and to delete it. I've still got it
sitting in my in box trying to find out if it's genuine or
not before opening attachment, I would really like to if
it's going to help.
Do microsoft only send this kind of stuff through "update"
that you get to through start, then "all programs"??
Thanks in anticipation for your help.
Lyn from Australia

 

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

Delete the message and be happy. Run the attachment and be sad!

Microsoft does NOT send e-mail with attachments, EVER!

 

[Jim Macklin]

It is definitely a virus and is NOT from Microsoft. Rather
it is from someone who has spoofed the look of Microsoft.

If you sign-up with MS, they will send a plain language
email that simply says, "There is an update on Windows
Update. But you have to sign up for such. Some low-lifes
even send emails similar to these genuine MS emails, but
they include a link to a phony website.

There are genuine MS articles about how to tell what is a
genuine MS email, just click on START/Windows Update and on
the Windows Update page there are links to Support and other
information about updates.

Basically, MS never sends email with attachments, never
sends updates, and probably will never email you (unless you
signed up for a newsletter or notification.

Be aware that since you posted what looks like a valid email
address that these low-life scum harvest email addresses
from these newsgroups, you are likely to get a whole lot
more virus laden emails. You should alter your email address
lmee[remove]han@dead-as-a dodo.com.au would work to keep
automated email harvesters from getting your email.

Be sure to keep your anti-virus current ( a daily check is
not too often) and a weekly Windows Update check. Also turn
at least the XP firewall ON or get Zone Alarm
www.zonelabs.com . Zone Alarm will hide your computer so
hackers and Internet worms such as MSBlaster can't find you.




| I received an email from microsoft in September, saying
| there is an attachment that contains a patch for all known
| bugs or whatever. I've been too scared to open it. I
| thought I heard on television that microsoft don't send
| things like this through email, that they contain
| malicious stuff and to delete it. I've still got it
| sitting in my in box trying to find out if it's genuine or
| not before opening attachment, I would really like to if
| it's going to help.
| Do microsoft only send this kind of stuff through "update"
| that you get to through start, then "all programs"??
| Thanks in anticipation for your help.
| Lyn from Australia

 

[Joseph Conway [MSFT]]

That is the SWEN virus, delete it and any others you happen to get in your
inbox.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

What you received is either a very common malicious hoax or the
output of a computer infected by one of several wide-spread, mass
emailing worms. 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]

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

Any and all legitimate patches and updates are readily available
at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/. (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.

There's probably no way of blocking all of the bogus messages, but
you can greatly reduce the number you get by creating a rule, based
upon the most commonly used subject lines, to delete the emails from
the server without ever downloading them.


Bruce Chambers

--
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