New VIRUS warning

I got 46 alone this morning and over 20 last night.
Shirley



In article , Addie
writes
Just an update...I'm up to 30 within the last 6 hours.


"Addie" wrote in message
...
I just received this same e-mail twice. I also received it about a month
ago when the last scare was out. Thanks again for warning everyone.

Addie


"Monique Reed" wrote in message
...
Today I got an e-mail supposedly from Microsoft Tech Support that
contained what was alleged to be a security patch for their system.
What the attachment contained was, in fact, a virus so new that many
antivirus programs don't detect it. My husband, who's the departmental
computer guru, submitted it to Symantec (Norton) and had the virus
identified for me. It's so new that their definition is still a beta.
Information about this virus can be found at:




This new virus is called Swen (or variants thereof), and already I've
received other copies of it. One subject line was about "Security
Update" and the other was "Computer Patch." If it's like other
viruses, there will soon be other subject lines and many spoofed
"From" headers.

A few common-sense things to remember about emails and the
viruses that come with them.

1) It is very easy to make an email appear to come from somewhere
different than the real source. Do not assume, just because the
email says it is from Microsoft, Apple, Norton/Symantec, McAfee,
or some other source that you might ordinarily trust, that it really
is from that company. The same goes for emails from people you
know that don't make sense and are asking you to open an
attachment.

2) Microsoft does not email patches for systems. (It doesn't like to
admit there are flaws!) Neither do any of the major software firms,
for just this reason. If you think about it, how would a company know
exactly which patches your system needed, anyway? If you are
suspicious of an email, and you should be when it contains an
attachment, DON'T OPEN IT! Talk to your Sysadmin.

3) Do go and download the newest version of your antivirus software on
a frequent and regular basis. (Some weeks there are five or more new
definitions!)

Have a great day!

Monique in drizzmal
College Station





--
Shirley Shone

I have just deleted 48 - as Monique said they have many different headings
and returned mail claims. Can only hope they trace the originator down
soon.
"Monique Reed" wrote in message
...
This thing has a LOT of different subject lines. They do not all
refer to computer security. Some are about returned messages, bounced
emails, etc. Be very, very careful.

Monique
24 copies so far this morning...

Monique Reed wrote:

Today I got an e-mail supposedly from Microsoft Tech Support that
contained what was alleged to be a security patch for their system.
What the attachment contained was, in fact, a virus so new that many
antivirus programs don't detect it....




[snip]

A few common-sense things to remember about emails and the
viruses that come with them.

1) It is very easy to make an email appear to come from somewhere
different than the real source. Do not assume, just because the
email says it is from Microsoft, Apple, Norton/Symantec, McAfee,
or some other source that you might ordinarily trust, that it really
is from that company...

Actually, if it says it's from Microsoft, you can be very sure that it's
faked. They never send out emails to their clients. I believe the same
is true of Norton. Both advise you of updates when you open their
software.

I have been getting scores of these fake Microsoft emails for weeks now.
Today the quantity actually quadupled, so that I have well over 50 in
less than 24 hours. At this point, my email is becoming paralyzed by the
sheer quantity, quite aside from the viruses. (And yes, I use an
anti-spam software, but it's far from perfect.)

Barbara

98 overnight and about 40 yesterday....now to see how many after work.

Addie

"Shirley Shone" wrote in message
...
I got 46 alone this morning and over 20 last night.
Shirley



In article , Addie
writes
Just an update...I'm up to 30 within the last 6 hours.


"Addie" wrote in message
...
I just received this same e-mail twice. I also received it about a
month
ago when the last scare was out. Thanks again for warning everyone.

Addie


"Monique Reed" wrote in message
...
Today I got an e-mail supposedly from Microsoft Tech Support that
contained what was alleged to be a security patch for their system.
What the attachment contained was, in fact, a virus so new that many
antivirus programs don't detect it. My husband, who's the
departmental
computer guru, submitted it to Symantec (Norton) and had the virus
identified for me. It's so new that their definition is still a
beta.
Information about this virus can be found at:





This new virus is called Swen (or variants thereof), and already I've
received other copies of it. One subject line was about "Security
Update" and the other was "Computer Patch." If it's like other
viruses, there will soon be other subject lines and many spoofed
"From" headers.

A few common-sense things to remember about emails and the
viruses that come with them.

1) It is very easy to make an email appear to come from somewhere
different than the real source. Do not assume, just because the
email says it is from Microsoft, Apple, Norton/Symantec, McAfee,
or some other source that you might ordinarily trust, that it really
is from that company. The same goes for emails from people you
know that don't make sense and are asking you to open an
attachment.

2) Microsoft does not email patches for systems. (It doesn't like to
admit there are flaws!) Neither do any of the major software firms,
for just this reason. If you think about it, how would a company know
exactly which patches your system needed, anyway? If you are
suspicious of an email, and you should be when it contains an
attachment, DON'T OPEN IT! Talk to your Sysadmin.

3) Do go and download the newest version of your antivirus software
on
a frequent and regular basis. (Some weeks there are five or more new
definitions!)

Have a great day!

Monique in drizzmal
College Station





--
Shirley Shone

Fortunately I updated Norton first thing this morning - you know that
message that appears on your computer telling you it's time to update.
I'm really glad I didn't postpone it. Also, for some reason I
checked my email at the website before downloading anything. I had
116 messages. Since I had checked my email late last night I knew
something was wrong. By the time I finished deleting I only had 20
legitimate messages left. Wow! I've sent an email to all of my
friends and family to warn them. Looks like we will need to set up
signals to friends and family about real attachments we plan on
sending.

Susie Jordan

Barbara Vaughan wrote in message ...

Actually, if it says it's from Microsoft, you can be very sure that it's
faked. They never send out emails to their clients. I believe the same
is true of Norton. Both advise you of updates when you open their
software.

I have been getting scores of these fake Microsoft emails for weeks now.
Today the quantity actually quadupled, so that I have well over 50 in
less than 24 hours. At this point, my email is becoming paralyzed by the
sheer quantity, quite aside from the viruses. (And yes, I use an
anti-spam software, but it's far from perfect.)

Barbara

Amazingly, I have not had one instance of this. I use Norton and update it
myself every few days rather than wait for the automatic updates. My ISP
also has virus protection.
Dawne

Same here, except I only manually update when I read about a specific
problem. Otherwise I do just rely on automatic update and a weekly scan.

I have signed up for alerts and newsletters from Microsoft and have gotten
just the normal amount of mail from them in the last week or so, with no
attachments.
Lucille


"Dawne Peterson" wrote in message
...
Amazingly, I have not had one instance of this. I use Norton and update
it
myself every few days rather than wait for the automatic updates. My ISP
also has virus protection.
Dawne

I have received about 70 in the last 24 hours. I haven't even checked my
yahoo account. Grrrr. I am letting my mailbox fill up so it will bounce
back..Michele from Ohio

Thank you Monique for the update.
All day I have been deleting these messages from my computer. So far I have
had 52 Security notices telling me to download September Cumulative Patch
and 48 retuned mail notices for mail I haven't sent. I am using Windows ME
and Microsoft reckons it doesn't affect ME, but it must be out there
somewhere. I warned my family, as all these messages come with attachments,
and I don't open those things. It's getting very boring deleting the
things.
Cheers,
Ruth C
NSW

This thing has a LOT of different subject lines. They do not all
refer to computer security. Some are about returned messages, bounced
emails, etc. Be very, very careful.

Monique
24 copies so far this morning...