Speaking of MS Updates

[GCC Consulting]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com 
> [mailto:filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf 
> Of Fairlight
> Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 9:37 PM
> To: filePro Mailing List
> Subject: OT: Speaking of MS Updates
> 
> Kelly just got the most hilarious Windows Update notification 
> for her W2K system.  It's a MyDoom/Zindows/DoomJuice virus 
> removal tool.  The attached note said that the fact that the 
> update appeared meant your system was most likely infected.
> 
> That's cute.  1) No email ever touches Opal except in gzipped 
> *nix mbox-style file format for archival purposes--no active 
> mail through Outlook, Eurdora, or any other MUA ever touches 
> that system, in or out, and
> 2) I virus-scanned the entire system a few hours ago and it 
> was clean as a whistle.
> 
> This smells of desperation in an attempt to force users into 
> being paranoid enough to clean up MS's own mess for them.
> 
> Yes, I'm all for tight security, as everyone likely knows.  
> But not at the point of lying to people about their 
> likelihood of infection.  When it comes to tactics like this, 
> I can't be quite cynical enough.  Maybe Tony has a point--to 
> some extent.  I don't entirely agree with him--many holes
> -are- patchable.  And I do think one should make a system as 
> hardened as possible.  But since I already operate under the 
> assumption that Windows is swiss cheese anyway...this kind of 
> tactic goes over the top.
> 
> Just my $0.02, since the topic was up in discussion earlier.
> 
> At any rate, if anyone sees the update pop up, -don't- 
> immediately panic.  
> 
My standard practice is to delete anything that tells me my system is likely
infected if it isn't something I have run.  I assume that these messages are
either viruses or spy/mal ware.

Between Outlook 2003 junk mail removal, Ihatespamm and Norton anti-virus tagging
what it thinks is junk mail, most stuff never bothers me, It's deleted.  

Richard Kreiss
GCC Consulting