Help

About a week ago, I started receiving e-mails (automatic) telling me that I had sent a virus and it was blocked and they were letting me know so I could check my system.

I am one of the most careful people around. I have a router and use Outpost as a firewall. I download my mail first using mailwasher and only accept files form friends and then only text. I have McAfee and keep it updated.

But when I received the first e-mail, I scanned the "entire" system with McAfee, then I ran ad-aware and spybot S&D. I then setup outpost to require permission when mail is sent or received with Eudora.

Well, I kept receiving e-mails telling me I was sending out viruses and I remembered at one time that I had installed Outlook express. Well, Outlook express is not in the add/remove so I went into program files and there is Outlook Express.

So I think I will delete the files and the directory. Now here is the REALLY weird part.......

I can't delete them. I mean I can delete them, but as soon as I delete them, they pop back in there by themselves. I have tried to "erase" them with an erase program and the program says it "erased" them, but 2 seconds later, they pop right back in the Outlook directory. I tried renaming them and it lets me, but 2 seconds later, the renamed file pops back with the right name. The renamed file is still there.

What the heck is going on?

 

I get those too. Someone is sending viruses and "spoofing" your email addy as the source. Not to worry. Just make sure you keep your system clean, as you have been already.

Sounds like you're on XP. OE files are system files that are an integral part of Windows that can't really be removed. Windows File Protection is not letting you delete those files! It's normal behavior. Search for "Windows File Protection" in the main XP help and read about it.

 

No error claiming that there is a file in use? What OS are you running? Did you try running in safe mode. Even if you use a third party mail client sometimes your "defualt mail client " is outlook.

 

Thanks,

Yes I am running XP pro. Sorry for not saying that in the first place.

The only time I get the message "file in use" is when I tried to delete the Directory itself. It let me delete the files but as I said, they just popped back in there.

I have now told "outpost" to block the files in the outlook directory just to be safe.

If someone is "spoofing" my e-mail address, that really sucks. Do you think it is intentional, or do you think someone who has my address in their address book is infected and the virus is sending them out from their computer with my name and they are unaware of it?

 

That's hard to say without examining the email headers.

You could have a friend who is infected and unaware...