Security

Is anyone else being overrun with the daily email form Microsoft concerning
security updates? They sometimes come in bunches.
Could some be SPAM? Is there any way to stop this.
Thanks Rick

Nope, it's just more people infected with one of several viruses (probably a
new variant of mimail that surfaced recently).




"HCRychener" wrote in message
...
Is anyone else being overrun with the daily email form Microsoft
concerning
security updates? They sometimes come in bunches.
Could some be SPAM? Is there any way to stop this.
Thanks Rick

Rick:

There are sever Internet worms that masquerade as patches from Microsoft. The most common
of these are; Swen, Gibe, Dumaru and Torvil.

If you posted to a UseNet News Group with a REAL unmunged email address (and it appears that
you have) then most likely you are receiving the Swen worm. Swen is news spelled backwards.
This worm is able to post itself to UseNet News Groups as well as harvest email addresses
from UseNet News Groups to send itself via email to infect new users.

All you can do is...

1. Keep your AV package up-to-date
2. Create email "rules" to auto-delete the offending messages
3. Petition your ISP to install AV software on their respective email servers.
4. Change your email address

Dave



"HCRychener" wrote in message ...
| Is anyone else being overrun with the daily email form Microsoft concerning
| security updates? They sometimes come in bunches.
| Could some be SPAM? Is there any way to stop this.
| Thanks Rick
|
|

"David H. Lipman" wrote in
:


All you can do is...

1. Keep your AV package up-to-date
2. Create email "rules" to auto-delete the offending messages
3. Petition your ISP to install AV software on their
respective email servers. 4. Change your email address


And don't forget #5: Ditch OE (if you are able to do so) and use a
safer email client (Pegasus Mail for example)

You are talking to a dedicated fan of David Harris' Pegasus Mail !

As to the security aspect of P-Mail.
OE and Outlook depend upon Internet Explorer and there is an HTML vulnerability in which
some worms and viruses exploit. That vulnerability is described by Microsoft Security
Bulletin MS01-020 (Incorrect MIME Header Can Cause IE to Execute E-mail Attachment). These
infectors make use of that IE exploit to ensure the attachment is executed upon viewing the
email.

I've been getting about 30 a day for 3 weeks now.
It spurred me to pay Symantec's annual renewal fee.

Mine are usually held in Mailwasher, where I've noticed ... the mails with
the virus attachment are always 140-155k in size. Don't open anything that
size.
Nan


"HCRychener" wrote in message
...
Is anyone else being overrun with the daily email form Microsoft
concerning
security updates? They sometimes come in bunches.
Could some be SPAM? Is there any way to stop this.
Thanks Rick

The term is Human Engineering.

Dave



"John J. Burness" wrote in message
...
| These are being sent out by infected PCs, they are trying to "coc" you
| into clicking on the attachment - DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!!
|
| HTH
|
| Regards,
| John