Be Careful With This "microsoft" Update

[JetsetBkk]

I can't believe this didn't get filtered out of my Hotmail inbox:

It is clearly a virus just begging to be let loose. Take care, people!

[malcolmswaine]

Must be good if it "includes the functionality of all previously released patches" ... wow, great, predicts the numbers for the lottery as well no doubt

[Guest Reimar]

The whole thing is a fake!!

Please take a look at the MS name:

Real:

Fake:

Compare the Font type and you''ll see the difference.

Cheers.

[stumonster]

it did list the 3 main virus/malware vectors

internet explorer

outlook

outlook express

[JetsetBkk]

The whole thing is a fake!!

Please take a look at the MS name:

Compare the Font type and you''ll see the difference.

Cheers.

Trouble is, it looks genuine enough to fool a lot of people who will just click on the attached file. Even the links to MS are genuine.

My main gripe is that it got through Hotmail's "junk" filter and into my inbox.

[sensei]

Tsk tsk...

I bet a lot would fall for this one.

Not a lot of people know how to distinguish between a real update and a fake one.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Thaigreg]

The whole thing is a fake!!

Please take a look at the MS name:

Compare the Font type and you''ll see the difference.

Cheers.

Trouble is, it looks genuine enough to fool a lot of people who will just click on the attached file. Even the links to MS are genuine.

My main gripe is that it got through Hotmail's "junk" filter and into my inbox.

You should also look for the "trademark", which appears right after the letter "t" in the real Microsoft logo.

[klikster]

I wonder if this is how the latest botnet is being established.

From a webmasters' site

Researches have unearthed what they say is the biggest botnet ever. It comprises over 400,000 infected machines, more than twice the size of Storm, which was previously believed to be the largest zombie network.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/07/kr..._botnet_menace/

[wxpwzrd]

The best thing to remember is that Microsoft never sends out emails with links to any kind of patch or fix.

[MarkBKK]

Tsk tsk...

I bet a lot would fall for this one.

Not a lot of people know how to distinguish between a real update and a fake one.

Thanks for the heads up!

Too true. For example, Vista.

[JetsetBkk]

Just got another one. Attachment is Update5514.exe, 106 kb. Amazingly small considering what it's supposed to contain

[Maestro]

I feel let down: I did not receive this spam. However, gmail filtered out 62 spam messages so far today (20.00 hours Swiss time) and let through another 3.

You are right, any good spam filter should catch a message with an attachment that is purportedly a patch or update from Microsoft.

--

Maestro

[sjaak327]

You get what you pay for I guess, hotmail's junk filter doesn't work properly, it blocks a lot, but you don't have much influence over it.

Today on my private outlook account, I received a total of 5 legitimate email messages, and a whopping 221 are blocked as spam, of which around 70 ended up in my junk mail folder, the rest has been deleted without even being sent to my account, I use GFI mail essentials for outlook, and the majority of spam is directory harvesting, followed by DNS blacklist, I still allow the latter to be placed in my junk mail folder, just to check if there is legitimate mail.

[JetsetBkk]

You get what you pay for I guess, hotmail's junk filter doesn't work properly, it blocks a lot, but you don't have much influence over it...

This is why I'm more than a little p1ssed off with Hotmail. The sender of the email is - allegedly - "Microsoft Internet Security Department". You would have thought that a Microsoft email provider would take a close look at anythng purporting to come from Microsoft and filter the crap out.

So how do I complain to Microsoft / Hotmail that they are letting through dangerous emails?

Edit:

I just logged in to the account (normally I pick up mail via POP) and can find nowhere to complain, but I did see they are promoting something called "Windows Live OneCare" which provides "Antivirus & antispyware, Online ID protection, Firewall, Multi-PC management, Printer sharing, & Backup and restore."

Surely, they wouldn't be letting a few virus infections through just to sell their new service, would they?

Edited June 17, 2008 by JetsetBkk