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I received an e-mail purportedly from Microsoft about a security patch. I didn't open it, so I don't know what it might have said, or if it was legit.
I figure if Microsoft is sending out e-mails about security patches, I would read it here.
What's your opinion?
Pat
Discussion is locked
ms never sends you a patch!!!
lady came into my shop yesterday after i told her dont open it. its a virus
I get messages from microsoft once in a while. When they ask u to download a patch I always do. These are security patches, u can verify by going in WINDOWS UPDATE. No virus whatsoever. Thank you.
Microsoft does not send out their patches by e-mail.
never have, never will.
best case is if you subscribe to their publications you will get a news bulletin with a link to their site.
you need to go there to download.
or go to Windows update.
david williams
Hard to tell exactly which one, but here are articles to a couple of examples:
W32/Swen@MM
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100662.htm
W32/Gibe.b@MM
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100088.htm
In addition, here is Microsoft's policy on patch notification. They NEVER include an attachment:
How to Tell If a Microsoft Security-Related Message Is Genuine
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/authenticate_mail.asp
Hope this helps.
Grif
Maybe it was legit then. If there was an attachment, that would show in the subject wouldn't it? As I delete things without ever opening them to see what they are, I wouldn't know what it said.
If I don't read it here, it doesn't get opened. You are always advising us what patches to get and if I'm going to download them, it would be after that. I can always check my computer on the Microsoft site for any patches that are missing. I'm sure there are a few.
Thanks.
Pat
Yes. I read last night (somewhere) that there was a virus with that M.O.
Suddenly spam has increased despite Sympaticos' spam controls. When they first started it, there was rarely any spam came through. Now it is 4-6 per day.
Doesn't it all keep us hopping? 
Pat
My ISP box is the oldest I've got. Since I was a nerdy newbie back then, I signed up with it for stuff. So now I never use it, it is my ******** and gets all the spam which I simply interrogate at the server and delete instantly without anything downloading. Nothing sent to that box gets read, no matter who sent it, friend or foe.
Meanwhile my domain is spam free. I use unusual names for the boxes, not the common ones like "admin", and set the mail server to delete on arrival anything which does not match 100% exactly a valid mailbox name. So while spam may be getting sent to the domain, I never see it and it is automatically killed instantly. If that means I miss something because a legitimate sender mistyped the address, shrug well tough they should learn how to spell. 
Did you sign up to get email contact from Microsoft? If not, then anything you get claiming it's from them is fake and should be deleted. Microsoft do not send out unsolicited emails, only requested contact you signed up for, such as their product bulletins and security alerts. Ex. I signed up for their security alerts, and have never ever received any other email from them.
I may have, a few years ago. Once when I was trying to get Microsoft information, I filled out some sort of registration form, which, at the time, I thought was necessary to proceed. I have had Microsoft no charge telephone support for a Windows Media Player, which eventually had to be downloaded and a new installation.
At that time, I certainly could have put a tick on something.
Yesterday, I updated my Windows 98SE, completely. The only one I didn't choose said it was for IE6, but I have IE5.5, so I chose "remove" on that one. Everything is working O.K., knock wood. I ran Spybot today and the usual things came up which I had Spybot remove.
'Keeps one hopping, doesn't it?
Pat
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