Whenever I surf the web, i get a window (that is labeled as "Microsoft Update")that pops up about every 5 or 10 mintes saying that i need to go to a certain site, like "www.wupdate.com", and download/install patches to fix security problems for my system. (I do have a pop up blocker.) It doesn't seem real to me, but I wasn't sure. I researched that a lot of phishers are using email to do this, but i've never heard about pop ups. Has this happened to anyone else? ~Lilly~

It's a phishing scam ~Lilly~. If you go here and signup, you can get the genuine Microsoft Security Update Newsletter... Microsoft Security Newsletter Learn How To GOOGLE! Here

Thanks!

Simply a matter of preference, I prefer to work with the "old rule", Micro$oft never emails update notices. Now they do, unfortunately if you sign up for the email notices, how do you differentiate the real emails from the fakes? Safer in my mind to use the "Windoze Update" in the start menu once a month to check for new ones. Not knocking your response, just an honest question. ...and Lilly, if you are on broadband, putting a router inline will make those popup messages vanish. _________________________ The internet is no longer a toy, it's a COMBAT ZONE!

Putting a router "inline" will not stop popups. Popups are ActiveX controls, javascripts, or one or another form of web content. A router will pass it along to your browser, just like all other web content. Seondly Microsoft's security bulletins are, among other things, cryptographically signed. Anyone can verify their authenticity and easily differentiate real bulletin emails from fakes. It may be "safer" to use windows update, but don't discourage people from wanting to stay informed because you are unwilling to learn how to do it properly.