Beware: bogus MS patch email

[eldren]

Just received an email from "Microsoft Customer Assistance" <hfdtatzjctbvpz@updates.com> about some or other patch for IE and Outlook, along with an attachment called "Patch.exe". However, suspicious of the senders address, I poked around some.

The email is a fake. The file "Patch.exe" is a virus, W32.Swen.A@mm. As in, don't run it.

Microsoft, helpfully, have a page on how to tell bogus Microsoft emails from legitimate ones: http://www.microsoft.com/security/an...icate_mail.asp

[CrapshoT]

ive been hit with loads of these spoof emails over the past few days as well asking to update the patch norton always intercepts them anyway

[ReDOcToBeR]

Just got hit today with two of these e-mails, one of which was the spoof ms one, looked very convincing.

If it wern't for the fact I'm clued up on such matters I might of fell for it.

[Jiff Lemon]

Simplest thing to rememeber.

Microsoft NEVER email out patches.

Virus writers will often use the correct KB article too, so that you believe it's a geniune patch.

[joshwa]

luckily our email server is removing the virus from the emails, but home users aren't so lucky - so i've currently got a windows 98 pc in that i've got to fix...

http://securityresponse.symantec.com...swen.a@mm.html

there's a removal tool, but if the a/v software has already tried to fix it itself, then it makes it more difficult to remove.

[sparrow]

id be very wary in opening crap mail
if u dont ask for it dont open it

if u need up date find them yer sel or on here just ask



regards



sparrow

[Volcano]

Whats email?