I am putting this into the S2000 Talk forum because it is the most widely read forum.

I have put a number of you into my e-mail address book. I do this when you send me your e-mail address for the "Owners Directory" in the Metro NYC forum or if you have sent me your e-mail address for any other reason.

My computer was infected with one of the recent virus'. If you received an e-mail (spam or virus) from me because of this, I apologize. I have now cleaned my computer.

Again, I apologize if this happened.

 

I SUPPOSEDLY picked up the SOBIG.F virus as well, but I'll be damned if I can prove it. I use Netscape mail, so I get the benfit of their virus protection for incoming mail, but not on outgoing (or if Merri uses my computer to open up HER mail ).

I get about 10 emails a day (for about a week now) saying a message has been returned because of infection, yet I never sent those emails (and I can't imagine how some of those addresses even ended up on my system, which is REALLY wierd...I somehow applied to Villanova University a few days ago <shrug>). When I check my "Sent Mail" box there's nothing there, so I'm not really sure where they're coming from.

I did a manual search for the supposed infect files with no luck, I've even run a detect and remove proggy that looks specifically for SOBIG.F, but it said I wasn't infected. I'm more confused than a hungry baby in a topless bar!

If anyone can explain to me why I'm getting returned mail due to viruses when my system is evidently not infected I'd love to hear from them...

 

Yep, this is easy. This virus, and many others, do what they call "spoofing". That means that the virus sends emails of itself from infected computers, but uses other email addresses that it finds in the infected computer's address books as the sending email, thus creating more confusion. Your email address happened to be picked as the sender, even though you didn't send it....

I hope that made sense?

 

Reminder to all.

NEVER OPEN AN E-MAIL UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT CAME FROM! And, for those of you who download porn from Kazaa, pay attention to where they are coming from.

I have been very fortunate. I am careful about what e-mails I open and what I download. I keep my Norton updated every week and also keep my firewall on the highest security settings. But, I still get a virus of some kind about every 3-6 months.

 

Sheesh, Luft, not sure why I didn't make the simple logical leap myself on that one. It would certainly explain why I keep getting crap bounced back to me as undendable but it never appears in the "Sent" box.

I wish I could easily determine whose machine(s) is spoofing using my address (more than likely it's just one machine).

If anyone would like a simple program to use for disinfection, try this one...

www.antivirus-online.de/english/countfree.php3?a=1201

It's less than 200kB, looks specifically for the SOBIG virus only, and I believe it leaves no unwanted crap on your system (no install necessary, just download and run). It scans your entire system using a DOS window and removes the virus should it be found.

 

I'm in the same boat as MacGyver, I have the most up-to-date version of Norton AV with frequent virus definition updates, plus I run a full system scan often. So I know I'm not infected, but someone in my address book is and I keep getting return emails from servers telling me I am infected, it's very frustrating when you don't even know who the offending party is. Spoofing sucks.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by djohnston
[B]I'm in the same boat as MacGyver, I have the most up-to-date version of Norton AV with frequent virus definition updates, plus I run a full system scan often.