Compromised email account

Takana · 05-02-2009, 04:52 PM

I'm not sure if this belongs here. sorry if it doesn't.

Yesterday I received an email from my sister about a 'company' on eBay with some dodgy links in it. The only problem is she didn't send it. This email has been sent to everyone in her address book. What would do this? A hacker? A virus? I've advised her to change her password just in case it's a hacker. Other then a virus check, is there anything else she can do to stop it happening again?

Takana · 05-03-2009, 03:42 PM

Well after talking more with my sister, it turns out she hasn't got a clue about protecting her laptop. She's got Avira free anti virus, which she say's 'never works' and thats it. I've discovered the anti virus does work and done a full system scan, the only one according to the logs! It found 5 Trojans, 2 Backdoor programs, 1 Rootkit and 1 'threat' attached to a .mp3. I assume one of these has caused her email problems. The anti virus has deleted the trojans and other files, but I will run an online scanner to double check.

I have now installed SpySweeper and Ad Aware and I'm scanning those atm. I will also install a firewall for her. Hopefully this will prevent her from getting these problems again.

wolski888 · 05-06-2009, 04:28 PM

Good sister!!!

05-02-2009, 04:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
Takana Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Posts: 8 OS: Win XP Home SP3 My System	Compromised email account I'm not sure if this belongs here. sorry if it doesn't. Yesterday I received an email from my sister about a 'company' on eBay with some dodgy links in it. The only problem is she didn't send it. This email has been sent to everyone in her address book. What would do this? A hacker? A virus? I've advised her to change her password just in case it's a hacker. Other then a virus check, is there anything else she can do to stop it happening again?

05-03-2009, 03:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
Takana Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Posts: 8 OS: Win XP Home SP3 My System	Re: Compromised email account Well after talking more with my sister, it turns out she hasn't got a clue about protecting her laptop. She's got Avira free anti virus, which she say's 'never works' and thats it. I've discovered the anti virus does work and done a full system scan, the only one according to the logs! It found 5 Trojans, 2 Backdoor programs, 1 Rootkit and 1 'threat' attached to a .mp3. I assume one of these has caused her email problems. The anti virus has deleted the trojans and other files, but I will run an online scanner to double check. I have now installed SpySweeper and Ad Aware and I'm scanning those atm. I will also install a firewall for her. Hopefully this will prevent her from getting these problems again.

05-06-2009, 04:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
wolski888 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Guelph, ON, Canada Posts: 143 OS: XP Service Pack 2, Wiindows 2000	Re: Compromised email account Good sister!!!