I recieved two versions of the email I'm pasting below. =20
Since I've never before received an email from Microsoft,=20
I was very suspect of the email. I checked the properties=20
of the email & now I'm even more suspect. (I have=20
received Critical Update notices from Microsoft, but I've=20
never received an actual email.) Each email has a=20
different .EXE file attached. One is Q683481.exe. The=20
other is Patch.exe.

The emails also contain this phrase: "The names of the=20
actual companies and products mentioned herein are the=20
trademarks of their respective owners." Since the only=20
product names mentioned in the email are MS products, why=20
wouldn't they just say these are MS trademarks?

I tried to find a way to forward these two emails, with=20
attachments, direct to Microsoft to alert them, but became=20
lost in the MS online maze.

I'm running W98se. The logos on the emails appear to be=20
Wxp logos.

Following will be the email text. Any idea if these are=20
legit or not.

" Microsoft All Products | Support | Search | =20
Microsoft.com Guide =20
Microsoft Home =20
=20

MS Client

this is the latest version of security update,=20
the "October 2003, Cumulative Patch" update which fixes=20
all known security vulnerabilities affecting MS Internet=20
Explorer, MS Outlook and MS Outlook Express as well as=20
three newly discovered vulnerabilities. Install now to=20
help maintain the security of your computer from these=20
vulnerabilities, the most serious of which could allow an=20
attacker to run code on your computer. This update=20
includes the functionality of all previously released=20
patches. =20


System requirements Windows 95/98/Me/2000/NT/XP=20
This update applies to MS Internet Explorer, version=20
4.01 and later
MS Outlook, version 8.00 and later
MS Outlook Express, version 4.01 and later =20
Recommendation Customers should install the patch at the=20
earliest opportunity.=20
How to install Run attached file. Choose Yes on displayed=20
dialog box.=20
How to use You don't need to do anything after installing=20
this item.=20

Microsoft Product Support Services and Knowledge Base=20
articles can be found on the Microsoft Technical Support=20
web site. For security-related information about Microsoft=20
products, please visit the Microsoft Security Advisor web=20
site, or Contact Us.=20

Thank you for using Microsoft products.

Please do not reply to this message. It was sent from an=20
unmonitored e-mail address and we are unable to respond to=20
any replies.

-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
The names of the actual companies and products mentioned=20
herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. =20

Contact Us | Legal | TRUSTe =20
=A92003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms=20
of Use | Privacy Statement | Accessibility "

Possible Fake Emails from Microsoft by pete

pete
Sat Oct 04 10:20:58 CDT 2003

Its the SWEN worm. Very common at the moment and so far I=20
have failed to shift it with AVG and another fix. Can=20
anybody advise on getting rid of it?

Pete Slevin=20
>-----Original Message-----
>I recieved two versions of the email I'm pasting below. =20
>Since I've never before received an email from Microsoft,=20
>I was very suspect of the email. I checked the=20
properties=20
>of the email & now I'm even more suspect. (I have=20
>received Critical Update notices from Microsoft, but I've=20
>never received an actual email.) Each email has a=20
>different .EXE file attached. One is Q683481.exe. The=20
>other is Patch.exe.
>
>The emails also contain this phrase: "The names of the=20
>actual companies and products mentioned herein are the=20
>trademarks of their respective owners." Since the only=20
>product names mentioned in the email are MS products, why=20
>wouldn't they just say these are MS trademarks?
>
>I tried to find a way to forward these two emails, with=20
>attachments, direct to Microsoft to alert them, but=20
became=20
>lost in the MS online maze.
>
>I'm running W98se. The logos on the emails appear to be=20
>Wxp logos.
>
>Following will be the email text. Any idea if these are=20
>legit or not.
>
>" Microsoft All Products | Support | Search | =20
>Microsoft.com Guide =20
>Microsoft Home =20
>=20
>
>MS Client
>
>this is the latest version of security update,=20
>the "October 2003, Cumulative Patch" update which fixes=20
>all known security vulnerabilities affecting MS Internet=20
>Explorer, MS Outlook and MS Outlook Express as well as=20
>three newly discovered vulnerabilities. Install now to=20
>help maintain the security of your computer from these=20
>vulnerabilities, the most serious of which could allow an=20
>attacker to run code on your computer. This update=20
>includes the functionality of all previously released=20
>patches. =20
>
>
> System requirements Windows 95/98/Me/2000/NT/XP=20
> This update applies to MS Internet Explorer, version=20
>4.01 and later
>MS Outlook, version 8.00 and later
>MS Outlook Express, version 4.01 and later =20
> Recommendation Customers should install the patch at the=20
>earliest opportunity.=20
> How to install Run attached file. Choose Yes on=20
displayed=20
>dialog box.=20
> How to use You don't need to do anything after=20
installing=20
>this item.=20
>
>Microsoft Product Support Services and Knowledge Base=20
>articles can be found on the Microsoft Technical Support=20
>web site. For security-related information about=20
Microsoft=20
>products, please visit the Microsoft Security Advisor web=20
>site, or Contact Us.=20
>
>Thank you for using Microsoft products.
>
>Please do not reply to this message. It was sent from an=20
>unmonitored e-mail address and we are unable to respond=20
to=20
>any replies.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------
-
>---------------------
>The names of the actual companies and products mentioned=20
>herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. =20
>
> Contact Us | Legal | TRUSTe =20
> =A92003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms=20
>of Use | Privacy Statement | Accessibility "
>
>.
>

End of Story [was Re: Possible Fake Emails from Microsoft by Kent

Kent
Sat Oct 04 12:25:43 CDT 2003

"Microsoft has always maintained that www.microsoft.com/technet/security
is
authoritative in regards to security issues with our products. This
means
that even if you are subscribed to our security bulletin notification
service, you should verify the validity of that information by going to
that
site.

--
Regards,

Jerry Bryant"

For this reason, there is never any question of the authenticity of
email. Email is insecure. Don't trust it. End of story.

--
Kent W