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User profile for user: scoots831
scoots831 Author
User level: Level 1
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Mail problems - contacts "hacked"

Hi,


Forgive my ignorance, however, I have had a brief scan through these pages and several people appear to be having almost the same problem as I am, but not quite. I have an iphone 4 on iOS5.1, an ipad on iOS5.1.1, and a MacBook Pro, on OSX10.6.8.


This morning, at 0610 hours, GMT, my entire mailing list was sent a forwarded e-mail - junk of course, about bankruptcy, saying "Look here!" - which I did not send, and which does NOT show up in my Sent folder. However, I keep a bogus email address at the top of my list, so I get MailerDaemon failure messages, if such a thing occurs (a holdover, from when I used Windows).


My problem is, I have not used my MacBook in weeks, using only the iPad and iPhone. About a month ago, I received a similar e-mail from a family member, who also uses an iPad, which I didn't open but deleted, using my iPad.


Is it possible for any such botnet/Trojan/"virus" to have "infected" or nicked my mailing list, and, if so, how do I get rid of it? I have an elderly relative, who has an iPad2, and he opened the email (though not the extension), this morning, so he is now in a panic that he is next!


My e-mail account is through BTYahoo, but, as they have accessed EVERY one of my contacts, it appears likely that this has come from within, rather than without.


Can any of you advise or assist?


I have installed the trial of MacScan, this morning, following recommendation on another page here, and am running it as I type.


If anyone can help, I would be most grateful.


Kind regards,


Scoots.


PS, I recall now I DID notice that, yesterday afternoon, my iPhone burned its way through around 60% of the battery life, while I was using Kindle, in around 3 to 4 hours. I put it down to a glitch, or having left apps running in the background...obviously not.

OSX10.6.8; iOS5.1.1; iOS5.1

Posted on Jun 5, 2012 2:23 AM

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16 replies
User profile for user: scoots831
scoots831 Author
User level: Level 1
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Jun 5, 2012 2:43 AM in response to Shootist007

Thanks for this, but I did not receive any spam or attachments yesterday. And its not every email address that currently exists or is held in my Inbox/Outbox,etc, its only those held in my Contacts list. Is that usual?


Someone tried to tell me that, if it was an account hack, it would have sniffed out ALL the addresses, rather than just stopping at those in my iPhone/iPad shared Contacts?


I just don't know enough about these things, however, I have followed your advice and changed my password.


Many thanks for that.

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User profile for user: scoots831
scoots831 Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jun 5, 2012 3:58 AM in response to scoots831

Nope, you're absolutely right. I had checks done and my Yahoo account was accessed from the Philippinnes at 0608 hrs, GMT! I have no idea how they accessed it, as I do not use autofill, and every so often I select a book at random, open at random and stab my finger on the page. The word and page number are then my password. Its the most random method I have been able to come up with, that I can remember.


Mystifying.


But thank you, nonethless. I now only have to worry how they cracked it...

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User profile for user: ceha
ceha
User level: Level 1
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Sep 25, 2012 1:46 AM in response to scoots831

I think my iPad 1 (ios 5.1.1) has become zombie computers.
Yesterday IPad sent the e-mail (text is link on page with virus) to all my contacts listed in contacts. E-mail has been opened on Yahoo (may be a problem with Yahoo).



My Yahoo e-mali notcompromised (in log only my connection) like scoots831

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User profile for user: lindafromroyal oak
lindafromroyal oak
User level: Level 1
1 points

Dec 29, 2012 4:34 AM in response to ceha

I have a yahoo account and it is linked to fb, my daughter called and told me I have been hacked, because some explicit message showed up on her fb page, I noticed my battery was draining and my iphone is running in the back ground as is my I pad. I changed all my pass words, but it did not solve the problem can anyone help me, I know I cannot use my back up if I restore to factory setting what are my options???

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User profile for user: Shootist007
Shootist007
User level: Level 6
16,703 points

Dec 29, 2012 4:53 AM in response to lindafromroyal oak

Sorry I know nothing of Cloud Backups. I would guess it all depends on what type of cloud backup you have. I don't think the Apple iCloud system deals with full system restores.


In any event if you do have a virus you would be one of the first Mac OS X users to actually get one.



Have you checked all your online sites to see if some other alternative email address is also getting notifications for password changes. I really thing you still have an Online issue and not a virus on your Mac.

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User profile for user: lindafromroyal oak
lindafromroyal oak
User level: Level 1
1 points

Dec 29, 2012 5:04 AM in response to Shootist007

Thank you for your time it has been very informative, I cloud backs up all your information on your devices so that if it needs to be restored you still have all your information,

My one other e-mail address has not been compermised, There is a virus out on apple products, tha thit 600,000 macs, iphones, ipads, they are saying it has somthing to do with IOS 6, thank you again shootist007, just can't stand going to the apple store, Think I will go buy a HP and new phone that is not apple, Apple controls what you can or cannot do, where HP lets you control what you want to do

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User profile for user: Shootist007
Shootist007
User level: Level 6
16,703 points

Dec 29, 2012 5:25 AM in response to lindafromroyal oak

About the only thing to do is change your passwords again and use a longer more secure password. Like it has Cpas and Numbers and signs like ?&% in it.


You could use an external drive and reinstall the OS on it then boot and run the system from that and see if the hacking continues. If it does on a CLEAN FRESH install of the OS then it is not your Mac that has been hacked but either your FB or Yahoo accounts or both.

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User profile for user: thomas_r.
thomas_r.
User level: Level 7
31,989 points

Dec 29, 2012 2:07 PM in response to lindafromroyal oak

There is a virus out on apple products, tha thit 600,000 macs, iphones, ipads


That is Flashback, which is now considered to be extinct. It only affected Macs (not iOS devices) that had certain older versions of Java installed. The most recent versions of Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7 and 10.8 all have protection built-in that will prevent Flashback infections, and Flashback hasn't been seen for some time anyway. See About the Flashback malware.


As to other malware, it's extremely unlikely that your problem is malware-related, especially since only your Facebook account seems to be affected. That means that your Facebook account has been hacked. If changing your Facebook password did not prevent spams from being posted on your Facebook account, that probably means that your Yahoo account has also been hacked. Change ALL your passwords, for all online accounts. Be sure to use good, secure passwords, and don't use the same password for different accounts. This can make remembering passwords difficult, but it makes you significantly more secure. You can use a password manager (like 1Password) to keep track of all the passwords.


For more about Mac malware in general, see my Mac Malware Guide.

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Mail problems - contacts "hacked"

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