Is this real?

[Paul Markham]

Just got an email from a friend saying this.

MICROSOFT is spamming the Web with a WORM embedded in the email.

Beware of a “Security Update” from Microsoft.

I did get the email from Microsoft, anyone here know anything about it?

[The_Watcher]

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this is the latest version of security update, the "September 2003, Cumulative Patch" update which fixes all known security vulnerabilities affecting MS Internet Explorer, MS Outlook and MS Outlook Express as well as three newly discovered vulnerabilities. Install now to help protect your computer from these vulnerabilities, the most serious of which could allow an malicious user to run code on your computer. This update includes the functionality of all previously released patches.


System requirements Windows 95/98/Me/2000/NT/XP
This update applies to MS Internet Explorer, version 4.01 and later
MS Outlook, version 8.00 and later
MS Outlook Express, version 4.01 and later
Recommendation Customers should install the patch at the earliest opportunity.
How to install Run attached file. Choose Yes on displayed dialog box.
How to use You don't need to do anything after installing this item.

Microsoft Product Support Services and Knowledge Base articles can be found on the Microsoft Technical Support web site. For security-related information about Microsoft products, please visit the Microsoft Security Advisor web site, or Contact Us.

Thank you for using Microsoft products.

Please do not reply to this message. It was sent from an unmonitored e-mail address and we are unable to respond to any replies.

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http://antivirus.about.com/cs/emailviruses/a/dumaru.htm


hope that was of some help i got this email ! :

[wsjb78]

I don't think microsoft spams the inet with a worm but rather someone else wants to make it look like microsoft did... to stay up do date with your windows installation visit:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

[Evil Chris]

I highly doubt Microsoft would do anything like that.
I get my updates automatically with XP, and I find that to be quite handy.

[Mister X]

I've got that particular email many times and it has a few different worms as a payload. Probably because it looks so profefessionally done a lot of people will fall for it. Of course Microsoft never sends updates via email. As far as I know they don't even have my email address, lol. The last time I registered anything with them I was in a different town with a different email account.

[Ronaldo]

Dear Westman Internet customer,

This notice is in response to a new virus that is being spread across the Internet disguised as an email from Microsoft. The virus appears as an email sent from "Security Services" with the subject "Latest Critical Upgrade". Although the email appears official, it is not really from Microsoft. Installing this "upgrade" will infect your PC with the w32.Swen.A@mm virus.

Neither Westman nor Microsoft will ever send out a patch via email requesting that you run a file attached to an email. We may at times send information regarding a widespread virus with links to the appropriate websites for you to patch or remove the virus from your computer. For example Westman sent an email out yesterday regarding the Welchia virus and links to Microsoft and Symantec on how to prevent and remove the virus.

However, in all cases you need to download the patch from their website and install it. Any patches from Microsoft are available at the following address and nowhere else:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Any email claiming to be from Microsoft suggesting that you install an "upgrade" file is not legitimate and should be deleted immediately.

We strongly recommend that anyone who has received the email mentioned above should follow these steps to remove the virus. If you are not certain if you PC has been infected please follow the instructions as a precaution.

The following link will download the removal tool for the Swen virus from Symantec.s website:

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/FixSwen.exe

You will be prompted to save the file to your computer, preferably your desktop. Open or double-click the downloaded file and begin the scan.

Please view the instruction from Symantec for downloading and removing the virus from the following link:

http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/da...oval.tool.html

We encourage all customers to take precautionary measures by using an appropriate method of anti-virus protection.

If you have any problems with the steps listed above, you can call our helpdesk at 204-571-0501, between the hours of 8am and 10pm Monday through Sunday. You can also email our helpdesk technicians at support@westman.wave.ca.

Thank you,
Trevor Klassen
Supervisor, Helpdesk
Westman Business
a division of Westman Communications Group

[Mpegmaster]

Originally posted by Evil Chris
I get my updates automatically with XP, and I find that to be quite handy.

I used to do that toooo
until my system got screwed after an update!