This article is reporting on another tactic being used by malicious hackers to attempt to gain control of PC’s. This time around they are sending out emails with what appears to be a patch notification from Microsoft with an attached “patch”. The patch is actually malicious software that could be used to take over a system or steal confidential data. A couple of things make this obvious that it is a ruse, first of all the grammar used in the email calls question to its authenticity and more importantly, Microsoft never send out security patches via email.
According to this post, as of January 1, 2011 it is now a misdemeanor in California to maliciously impersonate someone online. The new law, SB 1411, was passed by the California legislature due to growing concerns over cyber-harassment and cyber-bullying. The new law is punishable by fines of up to $1,000 and/or up to 1 year in jail.