suspected email virus

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by cozzielex, Dec 20, 2010.

  1. cozzielex

    cozzielex Private E-2

    Over the last few weeks I have been receiving odd emails from a friend recommending health foods and get rich quick plans which I'm sure (in fact I know) he hasn't sent and I suspect his email programme has been infected with a virus.
    I haven't opened the messages, but I haven't been able to contact him about this.
    Apart from not opening the messages myself what advice can I give him to stop this from happening when I am able to get in touch with him.
    Thanks
    Cozzielex
     
    cozzielex, Dec 20, 2010
    #1
  2. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Tell him to join the forum and run the below and attach the logs in a new thread. ;)


    READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide
     
    chaslang, Dec 21, 2010
    #2
  3. cozzielex

    cozzielex Private E-2

    OK, thanks for that, I'll pass it on.
     
    cozzielex, Dec 21, 2010
    #3
  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome. Surf safely!
     
    chaslang, Dec 21, 2010
    #4
  5. cozzielex

    cozzielex Private E-2

    Thanks again Chaslang; in the meantime, I haven't been able to contact my friend and I wonder if you could give me any specific advice with regard to the messages I receive from him, i.e. apart from not opening them and deleting them immediately, is there any other threat to my computer (or those of our other friends who may get these messages)?
    Thanks you
    Cozzielex
     
    cozzielex, Dec 21, 2010
    #5
  6. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    In most cases it is not so much a problem of reading messages, it is a matter of opening attachments in the messages that would be more of a concern. Some people foolishly allow attachments to be opened automatically. However, in a case like this where emails are coming from a "friend" who is on you approved contact list, simply opening the mail could allow some content to automatically run. Some malware will attach itself as a file name ending with .gif, .jpg, or .html....etc and your email program could just assume it is okay and allow it to load and it could actually be an executable program. However what you are getting sounded more like spam/junk mail.

    So in short, yes it would be best to delete messages coming from this friend especially since he is not reachable. It would seem if he is not reachable that he also would not be sending emails. ;)
     
    chaslang, Dec 22, 2010
    #6
  7. cozzielex

    cozzielex Private E-2

    OK thanks for that Chaslang, very helpful.
    Cozzielex
     
    cozzielex, Dec 22, 2010
    #7
  8. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome. Let us know when your friend arrives and who he is.
     
    chaslang, Dec 23, 2010
    #8
  9. cozzielex

    cozzielex Private E-2

    I managed to make contact with my friend, who is actually the brother of my sister-in-law. I'm afraid he's a self-declared expert on everything he has touched for more than 5 minutes and declined my suggestion that he join the forum and follow the recommended steps. Result?: I'm receiving more and more of these messages, which according to the heading are addressed not to me but to my sister-in-law.
    As far as I know (using Windows Live Mail) the only thing I can therefore do for the time being is to put him into the blocked senders list, which I have done.
    Most of the messages have a link to a website which according to WOT has a poor reputation. I googled the link and found that it was well known as being used by spammers using compromised email accounts, which confirmed what you said to me.
    So as they said,"If you can't beat them, ignore them".
    Thanks
    Cozzielex
     
    cozzielex, Dec 23, 2010
    #9
  10. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    :-D Those are typically the worst kind of people to help.

    Which could mean your sister-in-law's PC may have been compromised or at a minimum her email address book was stolen.

    Likely the best approach since it would seem you don't need to have any emails from him anyway.
     
    chaslang, Dec 23, 2010
    #10
  11. cozzielex

    cozzielex Private E-2

     
    cozzielex, Dec 24, 2010
    #11

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