Comments on: having problems with my e-mail? Keeps sending out a virus to everyone on my contacts list? http://www.messengermania.com/having-problems-with-my-e-mail-keeps-sending-out-a-virus-to-everyone-on-my-contacts-list/ Messenger Help & Support Center Fri, 12 Aug 2011 23:52:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: The Phlebob http://www.messengermania.com/having-problems-with-my-e-mail-keeps-sending-out-a-virus-to-everyone-on-my-contacts-list/#comment-43839 The Phlebob Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:08:47 +0000 http://www.messengermania.com/having-problems-with-my-e-mail-keeps-sending-out-a-virus-to-everyone-on-my-contacts-list/#comment-43839 I'd scan the machine thoroughly for malware. There are never any guarantees in malware fighting, but try this: First, boot into Safe Mode With Networking. (See below for details.) That sometimes keeps malware from protecting itself. Then, if you have an anti-virus, make sure it has the latest virus definitions and run a full scan with it. If you don’t have one, many people here swear by Malwarebytes (it’s free). I suggest you also download Ad-Aware Free and Spybot S&D (they’re free), install them, update them and run full scans with them in Safe Mode With Networking. Also, turn off System Restore to evict any copies of bad stuff that might be lurking there. To get into Safe Mode with Networking: 1.Log out and reboot your machine. 2.When the machine starts the reboot sequence, press the F8 key repeatedly. 3.Select Safe Mode with Networking from the resulting menu. 4.Login. If the malware has changed your password, try logging in as Administrator. By default, Administrator has no password. 5.The machine will continue booting, but the Windows desktop will look different. 6.When you're finished doing what you need to do, log out and reboot back into normal mode. Another trick that may enable anti-malware and/or its installer program to sneak past the malware is to change the name of the anti-malware program itself. The names of the files and their locations differ between anti-malware programs, but the procedure is always the same: 1.In Windows Explorer, find the folder with the anti-malware. 2.Change the name of the program (it always ends with a .exe) to virtually anything else, but keep the “.exe” part. 3.Run that. Note that even if the anti-malware programs get rid of the malware, they may not be able to reverse the effects. Search the Web for possible fixes. Update and run full scans regularly, not just when you think you already have malware. Good luck. Note: There ARE free versions of these reputable programs on the websites listed. They just may not be obvious. Ad-Aware Free (free): http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ Spybot S & D (free): http://www.spybot.com/ MalwareBytes (free) http://www.malwarebytes.org/ (If the program doesn’t run, changing its filename from mbam.exe to something else ending in .exe has sometimes proven effective.) AVG anti-virus (free): http://free.grisoft.com/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5/ Avast! (free): http://www.avast.com/ Kaspersky (free trial) (Seems to dislike installing on any machine with just about any other decent anti-malware, including some firewalls.): http://usa.kaspersky.com/downloads/ I’d scan the apparatus thoroughly for malware. There are by no means any guarantees in malware fighting, but try this:

First, boot into Safe Mode With Networking. (See below for details.) That sometimes keeps malware from protecting itself. Then, if you have an anti-virus, make sure it has the latest virus definitions and run a full scan with it. If you don’t have one, many broadcast here swear by Malwarebytes (it’s free).

I suggest you also download Ad-Attentive Free and Spybot S&D (they’re free), install them, update them and run full scans with them in Safe Mode With Networking.

Also, turn off System Restore to break down to house any copies of terrible stuff that force be lurking there.

To get into Safe Mode with Networking:

1.Log out and reboot your apparatus.
2.When the apparatus starts the reboot sequence, push the F8 key repeatedly.
3.Select Safe Mode with Networking from the resulting menu.
4.Login. If the malware has changed your password, try classification in as Administrator. By non-payment, Administrator has no password.
5.The apparatus will continue booting, but the Windows desktop will look different.
6.When you’re finished doing what you need to do, log out and reboot back into normal mode.

Another trick that may make doable anti-malware and/or its installer program to sneak past the malware is to change the name of the anti-malware program itself. The names of the files and their locations differ between anti-malware programs, but the procedure is always the same:

1.In Windows Examiner, find the folder with the anti-malware.
2.Change the name of the program (it always ends with a .exe) to virtually anything else, but keep the “.exe” part.
3.Run that.

Note that even if the anti-malware programs get rid of the malware, they may not be able to reverse the effects. Search the Web for doable fixes.

Update and run full scans regularly, not just when you reckon you already have malware.

Excellent luck.

Note: There ARE free versions of these reputable programs on the websites plotted. They just may not be obvious.

Ad-Attentive Free (free): http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
Spybot S & D (free): http://www.spybot.com/

MalwareBytes (free) http://www.malwarebytes.org/ (If the program doesn’t run, changing its filename from mbam.exe to a touch else close in .exe has sometimes proven effective.)
AVG anti-virus (free): http://free.grisoft.com/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5/
Avast! (free): http://www.avast.com/
Kaspersky (free trial) (Seems to dislike installing on any apparatus with just about any additional decent anti-malware, including some firewalls.): http://usa.kaspersky.com/downloads/

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