Stupid Emails

From an email I recently recieved

X-Envelope-To: <jamartin@iinet.net.au>

From: "Microsoft Technical Support" <zvkoxj_51356@advisor.ms.net>

To: "Microsoft Customer" <>

SUBJECT: Latest Internet Security Patch

Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 15:12:23 +0200 (CEST)

Microsoft Customer

this is the latest version of security update, the
"August 2003, Cumulative Patch" update which eliminates
all known security vulnerabilities affecting Internet Explorer,
Outlook and Outlook Express as well as five newly
discovered vulnerabilities. Install now to protect your computer
from these vulnerabilities, the most serious of which could allow
an attacker to run executable on your system. This update includes
the functionality of all previously released patches.

System requirements	Win 9x/Me/2000/NT/XP
This update applies to	Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 4.01 and later Microsoft Outlook, version 8.00 and later Microsoft Outlook Express, version 4.01 and later
Recommendation	Customers should install the patch at the earliest opportunity.
How to install	Run attached file. Click Yes on displayed dialog box.
How to use	You don't need to do anything after installing this item.

Microsoft Product Support Services and Knowledge Base articles
can be found on the Microsoft Technical Support web site.
For security-related information about Microsoft products, please
visit the Microsoft Security Advisor web site, or Contact us.

Please do not reply to this message. It was sent from an unmonitored
e-mail address and we are unable to respond to any replies.

Thank you for using Microsoft products.

With friendly greetings,

Microsoft Technical Support

---

©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. The names of the actual companies
and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Now - viruses don't transmit throughout the world just because people use Microsoft software. They don't transmit because people do or do not use anti-virus software and firewalls (though they do help). They transmit mainly because People Are Stupid. Rather than stop and ask "Why did Microsoft just send a file to me completely out of the blue. They've never done this before. Is it really from Microsoft and should I really just run it?", they go ahead and run the file anyway. Why - because People Are Stupid.

And just for those who are curious - the virus was