I just got a "security alert" from Microsoft today, here's what it says Dear friend , use this Internet Explorer patch now! There are dangerous virus in the Internet now! More than 500.000 already infected! then it has the patch.exe file as an attachment. I'm pretty sure it's the virus that's floating around so don't be fooled into using the exe file included if you get a message like this. quick note to Admins/Mods please don't move this to the OT forum, no-one sane ever goes there.

Microsoft has been sending out alot of warnings,but with links to their DL site(NEVER an exe file attachment). Sounds like hackers are trying to take advantage of this. Thanks for the "heads-up",c1rcle. SWAMP

Microsoft calling me "Dear friend" would make me suspicious right away. :o) This definitely sounds like bad news.

Right from being called "Dear Friend" to the way it was worded made me suspicious, it just doesn't read like an email from Microsoft. Plus they've never called any of their update files just Patch.exe.

Whoever wrote that note was clever but not quite clever enough. Every word and number shows that it was not written by a large corporation in the US. If I were a non-English-speaking hacker, trying to fool people into thinking that the note came from MS, I'd do a little more research than this fellow did! However, considering the literacy level of the native English speakers on the Internet, I suspect this virus will fool at least "500.000" people.

The only way to patch Microsoft Windows is by going to windowsupdate. Microsoft would not waste it's time sending individual patches to every single one of their millions of users.

Must be from those folks in Nigeria, who are no doubt really POd that they can't move those millions out of the country.

I've been a registered Microsoft user for years and years, and they've never, never, EVER sent me ANYthing via email, under any circumstances. They issue their warnings via their website, provide links to download patches, etc. It would be amazingly inefficient for Microsoft to try to send out literally tens of millions of patches to every Windows user. Yes, it's a trojan. It's one that's designed to prey on the uninformed, the easily misled, those who don't speak English well, and those who think Microsoft actually cares about them enough to be bothered finding their email address and sending them a patch. ;-) bonni

They're all insane in the OT forum?
Good thing I quit going there.

As a long time member of MicroSoft Developer Net, I receive many emails from MS and would strongly dispute the assertion that they are written in English. Genuine MS email is written in fluent Technobabble - a blend of Marketingspeak and Jargonese. If you can read past the first four words (typically something like: "Extensible and highly leveraged") it's not genuine.

I download all my patches, etc off of microsoft's own update site.

"They're all insane in the OT forum?" Yes. :)

Delete that puppy! Microsoft's own newsletter states quite clearly that they never ever send patches or updates via email.

Sorry .. but thems the rules

well at least it wasn't the OT forum ;) thanks Lyrra.

ockham said: "However, considering the literacy level of the native English speakers on the Internet, I suspect this virus will fool at least "500.000" people." Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...I'll try not to take that as an insult, considering I am a native English speaker and I use the Internet! Cheers

i received that email in a total of 11 times last week...the funny thing was is that im on a mac..... :-P