HACKETT-L Archives

From: "Loretta Wedepohl" <>
Subject: [HACKETT-L] WARNING re email virus
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 15:34:56 -0500

HI ALL...LORETTA HERE...Please read below regarding Microsoft sending out
e-mail regarding VIRUS...DO NOT OPEN...as THAT is the virus itself...Please
read below...IMPORTANT (Loretta)



Here is an article from today's Washington Post. I'm forwarding this to
you
because I received an email from Microsoft about a virus and I opened
it......that was the virus!!!! As this article indicates, Microsoft does
NOT send email warnings. What is also interesting is that this virus came
through on a hotmail account that has no names in the contact list and has
only been used for ordering my travel tickets! Whoooooooooaaaaaaa!

I went to www.symantec.com and downloaded their removal tool so no danger
to
you...but watch what you click to open.

E.

"washingtonpost.com
Worm Wears A 'Patch' For Disguise


By Mike Musgrove

Sunday, September 21, 2003; Page F07


"The latest virus to hit the Web poses as a security update from Microsoft
and takes advantage of a two-year-old weakness in Internet Explorer.

Disguised as an official e-mail from Microsoft, the file comes attached to
a
note asking the recipient to install a "September 2003, cumulative patch"
to
protect against vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web
browser
and Outlook and Outlook Express e-mail programs.

If installed, the program, known as Swen or Gibe.F, attempts to disable
firewall and antivirus software, gather password information and replicate
itself via e-mail, as well as the Kazaa peer-to-peer network and Internet
Relay Chat instant-messaging.

Internet security firms are reporting a wide distribution of the worm
online; McAfee Security rated the malicious program a "medium" risk to home
users and a "low" risk to corporate users, who are more likely to have
updated security software.

The virus-laden e-mail looks like an authentic missive from the Redmond,
Wash., software developer (aside from a few grammatical errors), but a
spokeswoman for Microsoft said this week that it doesn't send security
updates in e-mail. They're all distributed through Microsoft's Web site
(windowsupdate.microsoft.com).

The Swen virus could affect users running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It does not affect other
operating systems. -- Mike Musgrove "

_________________________________________________________________
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---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.520 / Virus Database: 318 - Release Date: 9/18/2003

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• [HACKETT-L] WARNING re email virus by "Loretta Wedepohl" <>