I keep getting these emails from microsoft (I assume they are genuine) telling me to download the latest security patch, to be on the safe side I downloaded the patch myself without using the email message, even though I now have this patch I keep getting these remminder emails every day, the problem is they take a fair time to download so they bottleneck my email, has anyone else had this problem and how do you stop it also why have microsoft only just started sending me emails when I have never had them before?? PS the first message is from Public support titled Newest critical patch, the second email is from ms mail delivery servive titled failure report. Thanks for help DaveB

Ignore these E-mails, they are Spam, Trojans or Viruses. I have had them but they never hang around long enough for me to find out exectly what they are, they are deleted, pronto. Microsoft very rarley send out E-mails reporting security patches and if they do, it will include a link to there Web Site and even only then if you subscribe to their Newsletters. Microsoft never send out E-mails with attachments, never. I would do a Virus scan of your system, see if you havnt picked up something nasty. Stuart

Stuart .. Delete the word "rarely" and substitute "never". These bogus (although authentic-looking) e-mails are universally mischief (and potentially dangerous). Don

A simple search on Google will bring up dozens of warning on this hoax: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/news/patch_hoax.asp http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/articles/gibef.html http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3080001

>> Delete the word "rarely" and substitute "never". << Well actually they do. When the MSBlaster worm was doing the rounds I had a whole series of E-mails from Microsoft. But then I do subscribe to the neswletters and have had enough of them to able to tell the difference between a genuine one and a hoax. Looking at the full header and understanding the information therin is a clue as to the authenticity of an E-mail. Stuart

StuartS, Also note that Microsoft e-mails are only sent to subscribers and then only to point to a authentic Microsoft Webpage that describes the problem and provides a link to download patch. Microsoft have NEVER offered direct downloads of patches even to TechNet Subscribers. My advice to anyone is if you receive a Microsoft Warning e-mail offering such a Direct Download Patch you did not expect (because you have never subscribed to them) or any other e-mail you are just not sure about is - DELETE THEM Then Goto: http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ and check Microsofts own Security Bulletins. Better to be sure - Than Sorry!

Hi DaveB, Stuart, Don Miller, Mick C, StuartS, hi everyone As by coincidence I received one of those so called from "Microsoft" emails this evening, whilst it not and the attachment, patch.exe, contains the W32/Dumaru.a@MM virus (McAfee). I would like to post the contents of the email here, so that you can identify the email as a malicious one when it gets to you. __________________________________________ From: Microsoft <security@microsoft.com> To: Your email address Subject: Use this patch immediately ! Attachment: msg-28344.txt, patch.exe Message: Dear friend , use this Internet Explorer patch now! There are dangerous virus in the Internet now! More than 500.000 already infected! __________________________________________ My Anti-virus caught the virus "red handed" in the email on arrival and I deleted it without giving it a second thought. The next email to arrive was from my Anti-virus software: __________________________________________ Subject: EMAIL SCAN: VIRUS ALERT! IN ATTACHMENT~USE THIS PATCH IMMEDIATELY ! Message: Attachment file: patch.exe Virus name: W32/Dumaru.a@MM Action taken: Deleted... __________________________________________ Don't worry, I haven't messed with the attachments. If I wanted to, my Anti-virus software wouldn't give me a chance to. :-) Unless I would disable it of course, but why would I want to take the risk to mess up my computer? The contents of the first displayed email, is taken from the webmail system. Now that's convenient, while writing this post a got the same email for a second time this evening, so I can now provide you with a screenshot of the reaction of my Anti-virus software. :-) (http://www.dse.nl/~thecount/Virus-MS_fake.jpg) Leaves me one thing to say: "Let's be careful out there!" Greetz from The Netherlands, The Count