Beware the Fake Microsoft Windows Update Patch W32.Pinfi!   5/20/2005 - 1,852 views, 6 Comments

This month’s fake Microsoft patch is a memory-resident virus called w32.pinfi, which, once leashed, can travel across networks and to attached hard drives.

W32.pinfi, also known as the Pate or Parite virus, is being borne in email which advises the user that the attached “patch” closes security holes in IE, Outlook, and Outlook Express, and is targetted at Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows ME systems.

An advisory on the Microsoft site cautions users that “Microsoft sends e-mail to subscribers of our security e-mail notification services when we release information about a security software update or security incident.
Unfortunately, malicious individuals have been known to send fake e-mail notifications that appear to be coming from Microsoft, a tactic known as spoofing. Some of these messages lure recipients to Web sites to download malicious code, while others include a file attachment containing a virus,” and then explains that “We never attach software updates to our security e-mail notifications” and “We never send notices about security updates or incidents until after we publish information about them on our Web site. If you are ever in doubt about the authenticity of a Microsoft security e-mail notification, check the Security site on Microsoft.com”

Explained a representative for Microsoft, “This is a common scam. It’s important to remind customers that Microsoft will never attach software updates to security e-mail notifications,” and adding that “users should always exercise extreme caution when opening unsolicited attachments from both known and unknown sources.