my email is sending spam mails

from Sins Forums

My email account started sending spam mails to my contacts sometime yesterday while I was out. I ran mawarebytes, found 2 bastards and deleted them, now running nod32 scan and still nothing yet.

I use the default windows xp firewall so I guess this is the reason why I get the malware/spyware somehow. I am in doubts what firewall to use now, I dont have a lot of RAM, only 512 mb, so I need it to be a small user of ram but efficient which is almost impossible. 

Any advice which firewall to use or what else I need to do is welcomed. 

edit: nod32 finished scanning and says its clean <_<  

51,447 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Change your password and make it strong.

Use a free bidirectional firewall. Try ZoneAlarm. 

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

 

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 1
Change your password and make it strong.

Use a free bidirectional firewall. Try ZoneAlarm. 

 

The windows firewall is "bi-directional" as well.  Just go into the "advanced" view and you'll see all kinds of goodies you don't normally see.  EDIT: @tito_defekt what service pack are you running on XP (as this also affects what level of configuration is availabe in the windows firewall)?   Of course you should be running the latest SP and all available security patches (if you are not....that would also be a good place to start).

 

Run "HitMan Pro" (www.surfright.nl) as a second-opinion scanner.  It is fast, remains free for 30-days AFTER finding and deleting a threat (if it finds nothing it remains free forever) and it connects to multiple AV definition databases online so you're getting mutiple "second-opinions" at the same time.

 

Your problem is most likely not firewall related, but rather related to security settings not set (or adhered to) in your browser of choice or in the computer system's "local security policy".

The following 3 points are important regardless of which third-party software a person runs to make themselves feel safer:

1.  Run everything and I mean EVERYTHING on your system from a "least-priviledge" point of view (never ever use an account with admin priviledges to browse the internet......ever!)

2.  Learn to use and properly configure your computer's "local security policy".

3.  Understand and properly configure all settings in your internet browser of choice as well as configuring the windows firewall using the "advanced view".

 

Do those 3 things and ANY third-party software you run at that point is just a second opinion.  Exactly what third-party software should be.  Running any third-party software as one's first-line-of-defense is completely foolish and the estimated 80% of home computer systems which are almost perpetually infected with something or another are a testament to said point.

 

the Monk

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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Tito...

    I used to have MSN and it was doing that. It was sending out e mails to everyone in my address book claiming it was from me. What I had to do was get rid of MSN completely and go to Gmail. I was moving to Vegas anyway and couldn't have MSN anymore at the same time. When I had my computer taken back into the shop before I had done this I was told that I had a Trojan Horse on my computer that was doing this. MSN works with Hotmail and can be used with Windows Live Mail. I ignore both. You might want to try a different system of mail like I did. Also see about a Trojan Horse working on your system. That's the only thing that took care of the problem on my computer, I use Windows 7 now... when this all started I had Windows XP.

                                                                                                 :meow: The Cats Meow Mix. :meow:

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

What do you mean it didn't happen?

 

What am I going to do with all this Kool-Aid then?

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That's cute....a cross-posted comment.

Doesn't happen often...but when it does it's just plain spooky.....;p

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 5
That's cute....a cross-posted comment.

Doesn't happen often...but when it does it's just plain spooky.....

Quantum entangled posts.  They're always spooky at a distance.

Reply #7 from Demigod Forums Top

I have the cause of your issue right here.

That said, I hope you solve your issue!

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

What 'make' of email account is sending the spam? Is it coming from your machine or direct from a web based account?

I had the same thing happen with my Windows Live Mail account. It was nothing to do with my PC which was clean. Someone had hacked into my Windows Live account which was protected by a strong password and got all the contacts from my account and started sending spam to all my contacts. This has happened to other Live Mail account users as you'll see if you google the issue. Only solution - close the account down and move to to another provider. 

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

All a person needs is your email address to send out and email showing that it came from your email account, in most cases it does not come from your PC.  All they do is some hacking before they send the email to make it look like it came from you.  Had it happen to me several times, but not lately.

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

OK, I changed my pass and installed zonealarm but it was using too much memory after 4-5 mins of starting Windows, about 70mb and now trying out Comodo firewall and so far it is good, not much memory used, only 10mb. If it starts spamming again then it's the final solution, a new email adress, which will be a pain in the @$$ to add/arrange everything again.

Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 4
What do you mean it didn't happen?

 

What am I going to do with all this Kool-Aid then?

All because of your unbelief.

 

Sheesh!!! I can't believe some people. If you would have just believed, the world would be in utter chaos right now.

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting tito_defekt, reply 10
OK, I changed my pass and installed zonealarm but it was using too much memory after 4-5 mins of starting Windows, about 70mb and now trying out Comodo firewall and so far it is good, not much memory used, only 10mb. If it starts spamming again then it's the final solution, a new email adress, which will be a pain in the @$$ to add/arrange everything again.

Comodo is very good.