Virus included in emailed update from MS

I downloaded critical updates from MS website. My system
has been degraded and I am no longer able to access the
internet from that PC (WIN 98 see post under 98 internet
& security)

Subsequently I have received 5 emails from Microsoft and
Yahoo has identified them as infected with a virus.

Virus "W32.Swen.A@mm" found.

I still am down and I am concerned about how to fix the
problem.

Does anyone know about this problem?

Barry

Dave
Thu Apr 15 10:56:53 CDT 2004

if you post to multiple groups with the same question please include all the
groups in the one message, that way people who don't watch one of the groups
can still respond and all others can see it.

you are talking about 2 different things i think. assuming you downloaded
the critical updates from the windows update site and didn't fall for one of
the fakes then you may have a problem with the updates. that should be
covered in the group for the os you are running.

the worm in fake ms mail is an old problem... you probably just started
getting them because you made a post to a group on here with your real
return address. the swen and some other viruses harvest addresses from here
to send themselves to, so you can expect many more of them to show up.

"Barry" <bjhat1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1cf7c01c422fb$d20512a0$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> I downloaded critical updates from MS website. My system
> has been degraded and I am no longer able to access the
> internet from that PC (WIN 98 see post under 98 internet
> & security)
>
> Subsequently I have received 5 emails from Microsoft and
> Yahoo has identified them as infected with a virus.
>
> Virus "W32.Swen.A@mm" found.
>
> I still am down and I am concerned about how to fix the
> problem.
>
> Does anyone know about this problem?
>
> Barry

asdljqwf
Thu Apr 15 11:15:29 CDT 2004

You say you downloaded critical updates from Microsoft's
website, but are you sure of that? Make sure you
physically type into the
browser "windowsupdate.microsoft.com/" (without quotation
marks, obviously) so that you are going to the actual site.

If you did download updates from the actual site, that has
nothing to do with your system being "downgraded."

Also, Microsoft NEVER sends you e-mails about updates. If
you have been getting e-mails from what appears to be from
Microsoft or Yahoo!, then they are NOT coming from
Microsoft and Yahoo! Those are spoof e-mails designed to
infect you with viruses, trojans, and all sorts of other
bad things.

For now, I would run anti-virus (more than one, one might
catch what the other won't), run an anti-malware program
like Ad-Aware or Spybot Search & Destroy, and go to the
ACTUAL Microsoft site and update as necessary.

Good luck and try to post back to let us know how things
turned out.

Bill
Thu Apr 15 11:53:04 CDT 2004


>-----Original Message-----
>I downloaded critical updates from MS website. My system
>has been degraded and I am no longer able to access the
>internet from that PC (WIN 98 see post under 98 internet
>& security)
>
>Subsequently I have received 5 emails from Microsoft and
>Yahoo has identified them as infected with a virus.
>
>Virus "W32.Swen.A@mm" found.
>
>I still am down and I am concerned about how to fix the
>problem.
>
>Does anyone know about this problem?
>
>Barry
>.
>Ok, fundamental rule number 1, microsoft will never e-
mail updates to you, or anything else for that matter.
All those e-mails are fake e-mails with viruses. To fix
your computer you will probably need to get a virus
scanner, get it up to date, and scan your harddrive.

-Bill

Tom
Thu Apr 15 15:13:23 CDT 2004

"Also, Microsoft NEVER sends you e-mails about updates."

I think you meant to say they never send emails about updates with
attachments.

I've subscribed to the MS Security Bulletins for years, and get email
notifications from them when they release security patches.

Tom
"asdljqwf" <asdfsadf@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1d0bc01c42304$dec65e00$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> You say you downloaded critical updates from Microsoft's
> website, but are you sure of that? Make sure you
> physically type into the
> browser "windowsupdate.microsoft.com/" (without quotation
> marks, obviously) so that you are going to the actual site.
>
> If you did download updates from the actual site, that has
> nothing to do with your system being "downgraded."
>
> Also, Microsoft NEVER sends you e-mails about updates. If
> you have been getting e-mails from what appears to be from
> Microsoft or Yahoo!, then they are NOT coming from
> Microsoft and Yahoo! Those are spoof e-mails designed to
> infect you with viruses, trojans, and all sorts of other
> bad things.
>
> For now, I would run anti-virus (more than one, one might
> catch what the other won't), run an anti-malware program
> like Ad-Aware or Spybot Search & Destroy, and go to the
> ACTUAL Microsoft site and update as necessary.
>
> Good luck and try to post back to let us know how things
> turned out.
>

asldkf
Thu Apr 15 17:22:52 CDT 2004

>I think you meant to say they never send emails about
updates with
>attachments.

Yes, that was what I meant. Thank you for the correction.

Either way, I think it's better for one to physically go
to the Windows update site on their own, once or twice a
week, and just check for updates. (I'm very paranoid about
these things, but better to be paranoid and careful then
be sorry later.)

Why wait for an e-mail when you can be on top of it
sooner? With all these attacks right now, I think the
sooner, the better!

Kieren
Thu Apr 15 17:30:56 CDT 2004

"For now, I would run anti-virus (more than one, one might
catch what the other won't)"

Running two anitvirus programs is a mistake as they can interfere with each
other.
Instead run 1 up-to-date virus scanner and if need be if that antivirus wont
pick up the virus (which it should) then run an online virus scan
One if the ones I use is http://housecall.trendmicro.com

--
Good Luck,
Hope I Helped,
Please Post Replies back to the
newsgroup so that it benefits
everybody and please do reply
to the newsgroup with progress

Kieren Evans

"asdljqwf" <asdfsadf@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1d0bc01c42304$dec65e00$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> You say you downloaded critical updates from Microsoft's
> website, but are you sure of that? Make sure you
> physically type into the
> browser "windowsupdate.microsoft.com/" (without quotation
> marks, obviously) so that you are going to the actual site.
>
> If you did download updates from the actual site, that has
> nothing to do with your system being "downgraded."
>
> Also, Microsoft NEVER sends you e-mails about updates. If
> you have been getting e-mails from what appears to be from
> Microsoft or Yahoo!, then they are NOT coming from
> Microsoft and Yahoo! Those are spoof e-mails designed to
> infect you with viruses, trojans, and all sorts of other
> bad things.
>
> For now, I would run anti-virus (more than one, one might
> catch what the other won't), run an anti-malware program
> like Ad-Aware or Spybot Search & Destroy, and go to the
> ACTUAL Microsoft site and update as necessary.
>
> Good luck and try to post back to let us know how things
> turned out.
>

barry
Fri Apr 16 17:45:25 CDT 2004

Thanks for allyour advice. I have run the latest Norton
anti-virus and I have not found any infection. I believe
that the files I originally downloaded were from
Microsoft website directly.
The general security issue is that it would have been
very helpful if there was an advisory not to post your
email address. I have been getting 10 - 12 emails a day.

The other problem is related to a downloaded update that
has interfered with my ability to access the internet.
This is posted under Windows 98 and I am still hoping
some one will reply to that post.

Thanks again for all your help.

Barry



>-----Original Message-----
>if you post to multiple groups with the same question
please include all the
>groups in the one message, that way people who don't
watch one of the groups
>can still respond and all others can see it.
>
>you are talking about 2 different things i think.
assuming you downloaded
>the critical updates from the windows update site and
didn't fall for one of
>the fakes then you may have a problem with the updates.
that should be
>covered in the group for the os you are running.
>
>the worm in fake ms mail is an old problem... you
probably just started
>getting them because you made a post to a group on here
with your real
>return address. the swen and some other viruses harvest
addresses from here
>to send themselves to, so you can expect many more of
them to show up.
>
>"Barry" <bjhat1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:1cf7c01c422fb$d20512a0$a301280a@phx.gbl...
>> I downloaded critical updates from MS website. My
system
>> has been degraded and I am no longer able to access the
>> internet from that PC (WIN 98 see post under 98
internet
>> & security)
>>
>> Subsequently I have received 5 emails from Microsoft
and
>> Yahoo has identified them as infected with a virus.
>>
>> Virus "W32.Swen.A@mm" found.
>>
>> I still am down and I am concerned about how to fix the
>> problem.
>>
>> Does anyone know about this problem?
>>
>> Barry
>
>
>.
>

Rob
Sat Apr 17 03:09:19 CDT 2004

These advisory's re email are available in *many* places. Off the top
of my head, the first place that comes to mind is
http://support.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.aspx

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms




barry wrote:
> Thanks for allyour advice. I have run the latest Norton
> anti-virus and I have not found any infection. I believe
> that the files I originally downloaded were from
> Microsoft website directly.
> The general security issue is that it would have been
> very helpful if there was an advisory not to post your
> email address. I have been getting 10 - 12 emails a day.
>
> The other problem is related to a downloaded update that
> has interfered with my ability to access the internet.
> This is posted under Windows 98 and I am still hoping
> some one will reply to that post.
>
> Thanks again for all your help.
>
> Barry
>
>
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>if you post to multiple groups with the same question
>
> please include all the
>
>>groups in the one message, that way people who don't
>
> watch one of the groups
>
>>can still respond and all others can see it.
>>
>>you are talking about 2 different things i think.
>
> assuming you downloaded
>
>>the critical updates from the windows update site and
>
> didn't fall for one of
>
>>the fakes then you may have a problem with the updates.
>
> that should be
>
>>covered in the group for the os you are running.
>>
>>the worm in fake ms mail is an old problem... you
>
> probably just started
>
>>getting them because you made a post to a group on here
>
> with your real
>
>>return address. the swen and some other viruses harvest
>
> addresses from here
>
>>to send themselves to, so you can expect many more of
>
> them to show up.
>
>>"Barry" <bjhat1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>news:1cf7c01c422fb$d20512a0$a301280a@phx.gbl...
>>
>>>I downloaded critical updates from MS website. My
>
> system
>
>>>has been degraded and I am no longer able to access the
>>>internet from that PC (WIN 98 see post under 98
>
> internet
>
>>>& security)
>>>
>>>Subsequently I have received 5 emails from Microsoft
>
> and
>
>>>Yahoo has identified them as infected with a virus.
>>>
>>>Virus "W32.Swen.A@mm" found.
>>>
>>>I still am down and I am concerned about how to fix the
>>>problem.
>>>
>>>Does anyone know about this problem?
>>>
>>>Barry
>>
>>
>>.
>>