Need advice and help

[clio]

I hope someone can provide answers to a problem I've been dealing with for 2 months. I am using a program called Postini provided by my ISP. Each day I am inundated with messages from ISP that tells me that they have detected a possible email virus and have quarantined it. It is always going to someone or some company I have never heard of and sent by someone I've never heard of. At times, it will have our email address as the sender. A friend of mine received an email from me at his business which I did not send and his virus protector blocked it. I have read all about the Klez virus and SirCam. I have the latest McAfee Firewall and Home Computer antivirus programs. I've also downloaded Stinger, found a program called Autoupder which supposedly rids your computer of the Klez virus and I downloaded it. Each day I run the antivirus program and it says my computer is clean. Why then am I receiving 10 or more emails from the Postini program as well as others (Network Associates, Postmaster, etc) telling me that an email I have sent has a virus (I have not sent any emails since this problem started for fear that I may have a virus!) I contacted the techs at my ISP and they did not provide any help. They just told me as long as I had an updated antivirus program I didn't have anything to worry about. This is a daily occurrence. Can anyone help?

[gore]

Virii can hide but since I havnt ever written any i wouldnt know how much they can hide. For one thing, I think a format is the easiest way to do this. What version of Windows are you running?

What i think would be easiest and stuff for you, is to reformat your HD, and then reinstall your programs, also, stop using P2P if you do, alot of virii play in those. hell just for the fun of it, fisk the MBR too.

I dont know your knowledge computer wise so instead of assuming you know everything or asssuming i need to talk down to you ill wait till you reply with some more info and then ill hel you out more if you need it....and it i pass out and fall asleep im sure someone else here will help.

Also, one last thing, you might wanna add this one to the "anti virus" discussion or somethign like that. This boards usually for something related to the site. But its your first post so i dont think anyone will jump on your ass about it.

[souleman]

Gore... its not virii its viruses.... http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=virus (thanks debwalin)

clio> do you have an updated antivirus program on your machine? if so, what program? It is possible that your machine is infected and that it is sending messages and just forging the header so it comes from someone other then you. If you do have an updated AV, its possible that someone else is sending the messages (well not someone, but some other computer) and that machine is forging headers so it appears to come from you. From what you have said though, it is likely that you have an infection and the virus is sending itself out.

If you don't have a curren AV (or haven't run an update in a while), get AVG. Its free and it works. http://www.grisoft.com

[gore]

Originally posted here by souleman
Gore... its not virii its viruses.... http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=virus (thanks debwalin)

clio> do you have an updated antivirus program on your machine? if so, what program? It is possible that your machine is infected and that it is sending messages and just forging the header so it comes from someone other then you. If you do have an updated AV, its possible that someone else is sending the messages (well not someone, but some other computer) and that machine is forging headers so it appears to come from you. From what you have said though, it is likely that you have an infection and the virus is sending itself out.

If you don't have a curren AV (or haven't run an update in a while), get AVG. Its free and it works. http://www.grisoft.com

oh sorry dad, when are you going to grade my paper anyway?

viruses is harder to type and im in a really pissy mood right now

[cross]

Although it is possible that the emails are not originating from you, IE some one is just spoofing your addy, you could very well be infected with something. If you think mcafee isn't finding something it should, it may have been altered by the virus. Try uninstalling and reinstalling your AV, then updating it again, and run a scan after rebooting. If that comes up clean, try running Adware: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ to look for spy/malware on your computer. Doubt that would be sending mail, but it will give you a better idea of what kind of things you have on your computer. hopefully some of this might help

[phishphreek]

It is possible that a virus has disabled your virus protection...

Before you go doing anything like formatting and reloading...

run Micro Trends free web based AV scanner...
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

(some people don't trust this... as they could easily create an index of which files/programs you have installed and create a database... but then again... some ppl are parinoid...)

In such a case... try what souleman suggested... I use AVG on my brothers PC and its caught everything he's picked up from kazaa so far...

I would also check to see that you are free of trojans... as some trojans also have email capability.

my favorite is the cleaner... but there are several more out there.
http://www.moosoft.com/thecleaner/

make sure thecleaner is up2date before you run it though.

Do you have email configured on any other machine? If so... maybe its not the machine your currently running that is infected... mabye its another machine?

Or... I've seen some email viruses that will spoof an email with any name it finds in an address book... meaning... you might not be infected, but someone else who has you in their book might be infected and sending mail as you.

Cross: we must have posted at the same time... Great minds think alike...

[clio]

Thanks to all of you who responded. To give more information, I'm running Windows 98 and use Outlook. I have McAfee Home Edition Version 7.02 and McAfee Guardian Vers. 3.0. I don't use P2P. I was receiving emails from my sis and when visiting her discovered that she did not have an updated virus program. We updated and it found and cleaned 9 viruses on her computer. That is why I'm scared that she may have infected my computer before I downloaded the latest McAfee program. I'm hoping I can get this problem resolved without having to reformat my HD, so I'll try the other suggestions first. My knowledge of computers is far from being advanced, but I would say I have an adequate working knowledge. Thanks again and I will see if your advice helps. Sorry I did not post this message in the appropriate discussion. I'll try to do better next time.

[phishphreek]

We updated and it found and cleaned 9 viruses on her computer.

its possible that someone else is sending the messages (well not someone, but some other computer) and that machine is forging headers so it appears to come from you. From what you have said though, it is likely that you have an infection and the virus is sending itself out.

Or... I've seen some email viruses that will spoof an email with any name it finds in an address book... meaning... you might not be infected, but someone else who has you in their book might be infected and sending mail as you.

I'd be willing to bet that thats where those emails came from... your sisters PC.

Though... follow through with the advise that was given above and post your results.

[allenb1963]

Given the mood gore is in I'm staying out of this one EXCEPT to say that souleman gave you some good advice on AVG....I've used it for years and it has been batting 1.000 from my POV. It should be able to detect any infection and get rid of it. Put it on your sisters computer too just to be safe.

[note to gore] Trash the vicoden and move on to valium or xanax......

[gore]

"[note to gore] Trash the vicoden and move on to valium or xanax...... "

I havnt had Vicodin for a few hours, i had Vanax about an hour ago though. As usual the source of my anger is female related... damn murder laws