scuba4me

Q: How to know if I have virus/whatever

It seems that "my computer" is send out emails from, apparently, my sent items...to people who who should not have them.   How do I stop this...or find out if I have a virus/whatever??  Also sending out emails to myself with nothing but a "zip" file attached???  

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2010), iOS 7.0.4, maverick be damned!!

Posted on Sep 14, 2016 4:49 AM

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Q: How to know if I have virus/whatever

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  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Sep 14, 2016 4:54 AM in response to scuba4me
    Level 9 (78,263 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 14, 2016 4:54 AM in response to scuba4me

    There are no viruses affecting OSX in the wild. And it's unlikely that you have been hacked - it's far more probably that someone has picked up your email address and is sending spam using it as the 'from' address; this is a very common practice. That's how you've been getting emails apparently from yourself - spam with Zip files is again common, though usually it claims to be a invoice or some other document. In fact it's malware, though probably only affecting Windows - don't open it, obviously.

     

    It's infuriating when someone uses your address in this way but there's not really anything you can do about it. Usually it stops after a bit as the spammers move on to some other victim's address.

  • by scuba4me,

    scuba4me scuba4me Sep 14, 2016 6:18 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 14, 2016 6:18 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    Thank you for that information.

    Do you know what would be causing an actual email to someone else being sent, ongoing, to someone it was not addressed?   I have a very angry "ex friend" over this???

  • by Kurt Lang,Solvedanswer

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Sep 14, 2016 6:43 AM in response to scuba4me
    Level 8 (37,892 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 14, 2016 6:43 AM in response to scuba4me

    Roger's note is indeed very common. Spammers pick up addresses from all over the place, and even sell lists to each other. They could have gotten yours from any number of web sites you were required to enter your email address at.

     

    Another way is Windows email viruses. I've also gotten some from "myself" that I know actually came from one of my brother's computer. There are hundreds of these things that exploit Windows. An infected email comes in. Some launch the virus as soon as it hits the inbox. Others have to wait until you click the attachment. Either way, it then randomly selects a name in that person's address book to spoof as the sender, and then sends out the same email to every person in that list.

     

    This can't happen on a Mac as these emails viruses require the Windows OS to work. They're nothing on your end. If you get one, you can simply delete it. The "ex friend" is blaming you from something you didn't do.

  • by JimmyCMPIT,Helpful

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Sep 14, 2016 6:42 AM in response to scuba4me
    Level 5 (7,803 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 14, 2016 6:42 AM in response to scuba4me

    No hacking is necessary to perform this, you simply need an email address, not anything else.

     

    If the spamming is not specific it is likely something that could be perpetrated by someone who has no knowledge of your existence. but if it is specific in it's destinations it's very likely someone who has a specific agenda against you and/or the ex friend.

     

    If you've explained to your ex-friend this is not something you would consider under any circumstance that is all you can do short of examining one of those emails for the header info for where the mail was sent from and determine what mail relay it was sent from or if it was sent via a proxy. While a proxy will hide the IP the site and other sender info the site URL itself could still be located in the perpetrators browser history.

  • by scuba4me,

    scuba4me scuba4me Sep 14, 2016 6:44 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 14, 2016 6:44 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Thank you.  I don't use windows...at least not that I know of??   Yup, re "ex friend"...tried explaining I had nothing to do with it...but...she's still mad....which is why "ex"....

  • by scuba4me,

    scuba4me scuba4me Sep 14, 2016 6:45 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 14, 2016 6:45 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Thank you for your help.  Guess there's nothing I can do...but...wait it out???

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Sep 14, 2016 8:33 AM in response to scuba4me
    Level 8 (37,892 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 14, 2016 8:33 AM in response to scuba4me
    I don't use windows...at least not that I know of??

    Not yourself. Anyone you know who does use Windows and has your email address in their address book.

     

    Any one of them could have gotten a Windows email virus, which then sent that same email out to everyone in their address book. As mentioned, these viruses randomly pick an email address in that address book as the "sender". That's one way to get an email seemingly from yourself.

  • by scuba4me,

    scuba4me scuba4me Sep 15, 2016 11:37 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 15, 2016 11:37 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Thank you!