security update

This morning I got an e-mail supposedly from microsoft
telling me to download the attached security update but
even to there was an attachment symbol there was no
attachment, just instructions how to download it. It was
supposed to be the Aug 1st cumulative patch. I went
directly to the Microsoft site and it says I have all the
updates available. None are Aug 1st. Should I just delete
the e-mail? Helen

Colin
Fri Aug 01 15:52:52 CDT 2003

NEVER take any notice of any email from microsoft that suggests downloading
security updates. Its likely that you will be downloading something that
will compromise your system.

If you do get an email always do like you did, go to the update site.

"Helen" <hrmckisson@att.net> wrote in message
news:01cb01c3586e$634f3cd0$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> This morning I got an e-mail supposedly from microsoft
> telling me to download the attached security update but
> even to there was an attachment symbol there was no
> attachment, just instructions how to download it. It was
> supposed to be the Aug 1st cumulative patch. I went
> directly to the Microsoft site and it says I have all the
> updates available. None are Aug 1st. Should I just delete
> the e-mail? Helen

Mike
Fri Aug 01 15:58:45 CDT 2003

Your e-mail was probably generated by a variant of the W32/Gibe virus and the
sender is infected with that virus which is sending out these messages to
people in their address book as well as any addresses found in their Temporary
Internet Files. The virus seems to be being continually updated as it started
out as claiming to be the "February 2003 Cumulative update", then it claimed
to be the "March 2003 update", then April, May, June... and now we are seeing
the "August 2003 Update" version. No doubt next month it will be the
"September 2003" version.

Microsoft DOES NOT send unsolicited e-mails containing patches however what
Microsoft DOES do is send security bulletins to those who subscribe to that
service and also provides a WindowsUpdate site and in Win Me and XP "Automatic
Updating" whereby users are informed of the availability of updates and the
opportunity to download and install them if desired.

Microsoft Policies on Software Distribution
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/?url=/technet/security/policy/swdist.asp

For details of one variant of W32/Gibe see
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.gibe.b@mm.html
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP
mcmaltby@hotmail.com


Helen <hrmckisson@att.net> wrote:

> This morning I got an e-mail supposedly from microsoft
> telling me to download the attached security update but
> even to there was an attachment symbol there was no
> attachment, just instructions how to download it. It was
> supposed to be the Aug 1st cumulative patch. I went
> directly to the Microsoft site and it says I have all the
> updates available. None are Aug 1st. Should I just delete
> the e-mail? Helen

Shane
Sat Aug 02 12:58:43 CDT 2003

Actually it's likely you'll be downloading the latest Security Update if
you're subscribed to Technet. And if the download is from microsoft.com then
it won't be a virus - unless microsoft.com has been hacked.

What you shouldn't take any notice of is an attachment purportedly from
Microsoft, as they never, ever send updates that way. An e-mail with a link
to a download from microsoft.com is from microsoft.


Shane


"Colin" <colin@post.com.it> wrote in message
news:KrAWa.2519$kv.122636@newsfep2-gui.server.ntli.net...
> NEVER take any notice of any email from microsoft that suggests
downloading
> security updates. Its likely that you will be downloading something that
> will compromise your system.
>
> If you do get an email always do like you did, go to the update site.
>
> "Helen" <hrmckisson@att.net> wrote in message
> news:01cb01c3586e$634f3cd0$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> > This morning I got an e-mail supposedly from microsoft
> > telling me to download the attached security update but
> > even to there was an attachment symbol there was no
> > attachment, just instructions how to download it. It was
> > supposed to be the Aug 1st cumulative patch. I went
> > directly to the Microsoft site and it says I have all the
> > updates available. None are Aug 1st. Should I just delete
> > the e-mail? Helen
>
>


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