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E-mail messages containing viruses/worms

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by ajobrien

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I currently have two web-based e-mail accounts. I do not use outlook or outlook express for either of these accounts, therefore, I have no address book locally stored. I have recently begun getting returned e-mail messages that have been sent from both of my accounts to addresses I do not know. All of these messages contain attachements that look very much like the Sobig worm. I have patched and scanned my computer - no worm found. I became so concerned that I actually formated and reloaded all the computers on my home network, I'm still getting the bounced messages. This is also happening with my daughter's Yahoo account. Anyone have an idea where this is generating from?

9 replies

by jschein

If you are unsure about the sobig or other recent malicious worms that have gone out, goto www.nai.com - virus library - search for sobig virus, click on the definition of it and they have a program called STINGER... It will search your local pc completely for the most recent and some past malicious worms and remove them.

I had a few e-mail returned as such from a couple of my free internet web based accounts from when I never send any e-mails from.... So it could just be a reverse fluke, the other pc could be infected sending a virus reply-back message, or possibly you do have the virus and have not properly cleaned it as of yet.

Ensure to also update to the latest service packs and updates from microsoft's website.

Good luck.

by jennifer.gardner

These messages were not actually sent from your account, and you are most likely not infected. If someone who had your name in their address book became infected, the virus would send to other people in their address book, with your name in the sender field (and do the same for everyone else on the list). If the message was undeliverable, the Failure message would be sent to your address, since that's the address that was displayed for the intended recipient. I hope this makes sense!

by thechas

Many viruses, bugs and worms can "spoof" the e-mail addresses found in the address book on an infected computer.

Yahoo does have a virus scanner that will catch most viri.

In my opinion, you over-reacted.
While technically possible, it is very doubtful that a virus on your computer managed to access your web based e-mail account to propagate.

It is much more likely that the virus infected a commercial computer that has your e-mail address in their database, and choose your address at random to be the 'spoof' address.

Even if you are using a web based e-mail service, you still need to keep up with security patches, and an up to date virus scanner.

Chas

by timwalsh

SOBIG has the ability to spoof originator addresses. Someone else's machine somewhere, that had your address included in their address book, probably got infected. SOBIG added your address to the list of spoof addresses it could use. Since it used a valid address as a spoof, the bounce messages are returned to that address (yours), even though you did not in fact originate the message. Your accounts are not even being used. Your email address is merely being placed in the From section of the virus-laden email's header.

by ajobrien

Thank you all for your replies. I thought it may have been a spoof thing but I wasn't sure. You have at least eased my mind.

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