Re: email viruses

From: Bruce Chambers (bchambers_at_nospamcableone.net)
Date: 12/30/03


Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2003 16:44:16 -0700

Greetings --

    What you received is either a very common, malicious hoax or the
output of a computer infected by one of several widely publicized,
wide-spread, mass emailing worms. This sort of email has been quite
common for at least the past 8 months. The most widely-known are:

W32.Swen.A_mm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.swen.a@mm.html

W32.Dumaru_mm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.dumaru@mm.html

W32.Gibe_mm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.gibe@mm.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

    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.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
You can have peace.  Or you can have freedom.  Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
"Mindy" <minidiapolis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:07de01c3ce4a$58ef85e0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> Hi, I have a question that several other people are
> asking.  I'm receiving emails supposedly from Microsoft
> but they are viruses.  I have blocked several of the
> names but they change the name just a little just so that
> it gets in my inbox.  Also I keep receiving emails
> stating that the email I supposedly sent to whoever
> couldn't be sent but I never sent anything to that
> person.  What's going on?  Do I have a virus?  If anyone
> has any information on these issues and could help me
> out, I would really appreciate it.  Thanks, Mindy


Relevant Pages

  • Re: Fake Microsoft patch message with virus
    ... wide-spread, mass emailing worms. ... Microsoft Policies on Software Distribution ... Information on Bogus Microsoft Security Bulletin Emails ... claim to have the patch attached are bogus. ...
    (microsoft.public.security.virus)
  • Re: virus
    ... wide-spread, mass emailing worms. ... Microsoft Policies on Software Distribution ... Information on Bogus Microsoft Security Bulletin Emails ...
    (microsoft.public.security.virus)
  • Re: Patch
    ... wide-spread, mass emailing worms. ... Microsoft Policies on Software Distribution ... Information on Bogus Microsoft Security Bulletin Emails ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Use this patch immediately
    ... wide-spread, mass emailing worms. ... Microsoft Policies on Software Distribution ... Information on Bogus Microsoft Security Bulletin Emails ...
    (microsoft.public.security.virus)
  • Re: Virus email using Microsoft Corporate name and webpage
    ... Chris wrote: ... > I have been receiving emails from different addresses ... Microsoft information in the hopes of garnering more victims. ... Information on Bogus Microsoft Security Bulletin Emails ...
    (microsoft.public.security.virus)