Obvious virus or hoax?

[hhg2]

I received an email from "Microsoft at
(e-mail address removed)" that has a file "patch.exe" with
the subject line: Use this patch immediately.

The body of the text states: Dear friend , use this
Internet Explorer patch now! There are dangerous virus in
the Internet now! More than 500.000 already infected!

This must be a very clumsy attempt at speading God-knows-
what. I won't open the attachment but I'm curious as to
what it is.

Has anyone seen this hoax? Should I alert MS about this?

HHG

 

[Nicholas]

Hhg2 --

You did not receive an email message from Microsoft. What you
received was an email HOAX from a devious imposter!

Microsoft "NEVER SENDS ATTACHMENTS" with email! They always provide
a link to their website. What you received is a pure HOAX!

You should DELETE the message immediately because the attachment
is very likely to contain a VIRUS!

Microsoft never distributes software directly via e-mail:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/?url=/technet/security/policy/swdist.asp


--
Nicholas

----------------------------------------------------------------------


| I received an email from "Microsoft at
| (e-mail address removed)" that has a file "patch.exe" with
| the subject line: Use this patch immediately.
|
| The body of the text states: Dear friend , use this
| Internet Explorer patch now! There are dangerous virus in
| the Internet now! More than 500.000 already infected!
|
| This must be a very clumsy attempt at speading God-knows-
| what. I won't open the attachment but I'm curious as to
| what it is.
|
| Has anyone seen this hoax? Should I alert MS about this?
|
| HHG

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

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 contained in the email you received.)
Any messages that point to any other source(s) or claim to have the
patch attached are bogus.

What you probably received is either a malicious hoax or the
output of a computer infected by one of several relatively new, but
wide-spread, mass emailing worms.

Microsoft never has, does not currently, and 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


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