Microsoft: Use this Patch Immediately?

Zygomaticus · 10-05-2003, 06:21 AM

Have any of you been getting the E-mail with the subject like "Microsoft: Use this Patch Immediately"?

There's an attachment in it, and it's from the e-mail address [email protected], so I'm thinking perhaps it's valid, unless someone bad is using Microsoft's e-mail address...

I haven't done anything yet...should I?

***Marek*** · 10-05-2003, 06:23 AM

Only download patches through MS' own website. If this is the same as an email I got a while ago, it's actually not authentic.

twifkak · 10-05-2003, 06:26 AM

No, god no. Don't. You can spoof the "From:" tag easily.

Zygomaticus · 10-05-2003, 06:27 AM

Danke. Almost did

Erwin_Br · 10-05-2003, 10:24 AM

At work many people got this message and followed it's advice. We're glad that we're not using Outlook or the mess wouldv'e been even bigger.

--Erwin

Royal Fool · 10-05-2003, 10:29 AM

All I ever get are penis enlargement offers.

Intrepid Homoludens · 10-05-2003, 10:40 AM

Never, ever open email unless it's from someone you know or you're expecting it. No exceptions, period!!! It doesn't matter WTF the header says!!

twifkak · 10-05-2003, 10:40 AM

Give me your e-mail address! I'll forward you some of my spam.

twifkak · 10-05-2003, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Never, ever open email unless it's from someone you know or you're expecting it. No exceptions, period!!! It doesn't matter WTF the header says!!

Or you're using something other than Outlook and variants, in which case, Just Don't Open The Attachment.

zarathustrian · 10-05-2003, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twifkak

Or you're using something other than Outlook and variants, in which case, Just Don't Open The Attachment.

Newer versions of Outlook block all those funky scripts and naughty code bits that can be hidden in HTML emails, so there's no problem with opening them. Still avoid the attachments, though.

Oh, and needless to say, this particular email has been proven to be a virus/trojon horse of some sort or another; I saw a news item on TechTV the other day.

Crunchy in milk · 10-05-2003, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zarathustrian

Newer versions of Outlook block all those funky scripts and naughty code bits that can be hidden in HTML emails, so there's no problem with opening them.

It still lets through the simplest and most effective things though. Such as an image in an html post that when accessed lets the spammer know they've hit an active email account and increase the amount of shit sent to you. Far more efficient than relying on people to click the 'please reply here if you want to get on more... I mean off this spam list' link at the bottom of emails.

Swordmaster · 10-05-2003, 08:30 PM

That's why I love Pine. 8-)

Wormsie · 10-05-2003, 08:41 PM

That's the Swen virus.

twifkak · 10-06-2003, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swordmaster

That's why I love Pine. 8-)

You know they make newer fancier text e-mail progs, don't you?

zarathustrian · 10-06-2003, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crunchy in milk

It still lets through the simplest and most effective things though. Such as an image in an html post that when accessed lets the spammer know they've hit an active email account and increase the amount of shit sent to you. Far more efficient than relying on people to click the 'please reply here if you want to get on more... I mean off this spam list' link at the bottom of emails.

The newest version of Outlook blocks images, leaving placeholder red x's. If you determine the email is legit, and wish to see the images, you simply rightclick on one and choose Show Images. It's handy.

Swordmaster · 10-06-2003, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twifkak

You know they make newer fancier text e-mail progs, don't you?

Yes, but Pine is installed into our university's computers plus I can check my mail anywhere with an SSH client. (Well, they do have a web front-end, too, but it's so K3WL to use SSH!)

ragnar · 10-06-2003, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swordmaster

Yes, but Pine is installed into our university's computers plus I can check my mail anywhere with an SSH client. (Well, they do have a web front-end, too, but it's so K3WL to use SSH!)

Pine rocks! I have several times thought about maybe switching to something fancier (or even mutt), but found that they are much inferior to pine.

Erkki · 10-06-2003, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Never, ever open email unless it's from someone you know or you're expecting it. No exceptions, period!!! It doesn't matter WTF the header says!!

In Outlook Express there's one problem with that though. How do I not *open* it if I want to delete it? When I select it from the list it gets opened automatically.

Intrepid Homoludens · 10-06-2003, 10:37 AM

That's Outlook's fault then. Never, ever open email from an unfamiliar address or that is not expected.

MeddlingMonk · 10-06-2003, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erkki

In Outlook Express there's one problem with that though. How do I not *open* it if I want to delete it? When I select it from the list it gets opened automatically.

Click on VIEW, then LAYOUT, uncheck SHOW PREVIEW PANE. Then the only way to see a message is to double-click on it (to open it in a new window).

And Microsoft never, ever, ever distributes patches via e-mail.

10-05-2003, 06:21 AM	#1
Zygomaticus Liver of Life Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,317	Microsoft: Use this Patch Immediately? Have any of you been getting the E-mail with the subject like "Microsoft: Use this Patch Immediately"? There's an attachment in it, and it's from the e-mail address [email protected], so I'm thinking perhaps it's valid, unless someone bad is using Microsoft's e-mail address... I haven't done anything yet...should I? Share Share this post on Twitter

10-05-2003, 06:23 AM	#2
*Marek* Puts the 'e' in Mark Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 3,138	Only download patches through MS' own website. If this is the same as an email I got a while ago, it's actually not authentic. Share Share this post on Twitter

10-05-2003, 06:26 AM	#3
twifkak :P ^^^ at tamz Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Football Town, USA Posts: 1,354	No, god no. Don't. You can spoof the "From:" tag easily. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ In the next AG crash ___\| A temporary board ____\| I am born to spam In the "Get New" list __\| Scrolling up and down \| I am born to spam through a broadband ISP \| i am back to steal your bandwidth --Spammo-head, "Windbag"

10-05-2003, 06:27 AM	#4
Zygomaticus Liver of Life Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,317	Danke. Almost did Share Share this post on Twitter

10-05-2003, 10:24 AM	#5
Erwin_Br Under pressure. Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands Posts: 3,773	At work many people got this message and followed it's advice. We're glad that we're not using Outlook or the mess wouldv'e been even bigger. --Erwin Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ > Learn more about my forthcoming point & click adventure: Bad Timing! > Or... Visit Adventure Developers: Everything about developing adventure games.

10-05-2003, 10:29 AM	#6
Royal Fool Statement: Not a meatbag. Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Iceland Posts: 813	All I ever get are penis enlargement offers. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ .::Royal Fool::.

10-05-2003, 10:40 AM	#7
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	Never, ever open email unless it's from someone you know or you're expecting it. No exceptions, period!!! It doesn't matter WTF the header says!! Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien

10-05-2003, 08:30 PM	#12
Swordmaster comfortably numb Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Helsinki Posts: 541	That's why I love Pine. 8-) Share Share this post on Twitter

10-05-2003, 08:41 PM	#13
Wormsie Doctor Watson Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 4,736	That's the Swen virus. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Don't worry, I'm a doctor.

10-06-2003, 10:37 AM	#19
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	That's Outlook's fault then. Never, ever open email from an unfamiliar address or that is not expected. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien

User Name		Remember Me?
Password