Strange message from skype

Question

Level 1

12 points

Strange message from skype

I got the message below from skype.

Two question:
1. Has anyone else seen this message?
2. What's it all about?

Note, I didn't click on the suggested url?
--------------------
online.service.usaa5
Online Service

WINDOWS REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
=============================

ATTENTION ! Security Center has detected
malware on your computer !

Affected Software:

Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows Server 2003

Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution / Virus Infection /
Unexpected shutdowns

Recommendation: Users running vulnerable version should install a repair utility immediately

Your system IS affected, download the patch from the address below !
Failure to do so may result in severe computer malfunction.

http://www.supportalert.net/

For the link to become active, please click on 'Add to contacts' skype button or type it in manually into your web browser !

imac G5, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Aug 30, 2009 8:25 PM

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Answer 1

Camelot

Level 9

58,905 points

Aug 30, 2009 9:08 PM in response to stirling-dad

This sounds like classic scareware - software that's designed to look like a real system warning to fool users into following the link which ultimately installs malware (viruses, trojans, keyloggers, etc.) on their system.

The authors are too stupid to realize you're on a Mac, so they still send a Windows-based alert message.

You can (and should) ignore it.

The chances are it came via a contact on your Skype list who's already infected with the malware, and this is its way of spreading. If you can identify who it came via it would be nice to alert them to the problem and have them scrub their system (or get a Mac 🙂 ).

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Answer 2

stedman1

Level 10

265,138 points

Aug 30, 2009 9:08 PM in response to stirling-dad

Hi stirling-dad: It is annoying, but on a Mac that is all. It is "ScareWare" designed to frighten Windoze users into downloading something onto their computer. No doubt the download will cause more harm than the supposed issues it has found during its fake scan.

Hope this helps
Stedman

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Answer 3

stirling-dad Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 31, 2009 11:50 AM in response to stedman1

Thanks all for your responses. I'd never seen this one before, though I get a lot of junk mail, which Mail . l'll see if I can find the originator.

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Answer 4

stirling-dad Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 31, 2009 12:03 PM in response to stirling-dad

Oops, I left off a phrase. The correct message is:

Thanks all for your responses. I'd never seen this one before, though I get a lot of junk mail, which Mail properly categorizes. (I look at the sender and subject to see if there's any reason to read the mail; about 2% there is.).

I'll see if I can find the originator.

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