Question

PLEASE HELP ME; Desktop Dating Malware

Asked by: acolgor1

I received an invite from a colleague thinking that it was a networking site, but never signed up for their services (that I remember).    This thing took a hold of my email contacts and keeps sending emails on my behalf.     I was in my iphone when i accepted and have run security scans in all my computers (have not done so in my iphone).    I have sent them emails requesting to be removed but they say that it isn't them, as I never signed in for this.     This is beyond embarrasing for me.   Please HELP ME

Tell me what to do to stop this

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Asked On
2009-10-28 at 08:55:22ID24851424
Tags

Desktop Dating Malware

Topics

Anti-Spyware

,

Networking Security Vulnerabilities

,

Latest Threats

Participating Experts
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Points
500
Comments
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Answers

 

by: edbedbPosted on 2009-10-28 at 09:20:31ID: 25684957

 

by: SpaceyavinPosted on 2009-10-28 at 11:44:48ID: 25686774

Calm down. First of all, what antivirus have you got? If you've got Kaspersky, you're probably already sorted. Kaspersky is probably the No.1 Antivirus Solution. If not, don't worry. Download Spybot: Search and Destroy and do a full scan. It should remove it. If it's still there, do a Google (or whatever other search engine you use) Search and see what you can find. If you can't find anything, I'm sorry but I can't help you. Contact Kaspersky Labs and ask them for help.

Best of luck,
Spaceyavin (a.k.a. Impersonator)

 

by: acolgor1Posted on 2009-10-28 at 13:26:58ID: 25687887

i performed a full scan with a program called macscan and deleted a bunch of cookies.    it feels as this thing is embedded in my gmail account.    As to doing research in google, isn't the purpose of this site to provide these kinds of solutions?    I am confused    I just joined in   and "do a google search" is not a terribly helpful suggestion.  

 

by: Big_WillPosted on 2009-10-29 at 06:59:46ID: 25693696

http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/

I use Sophos security for my antivirus, and these guys pick up loads of stuff that even norton and Mcafee dont find, the above link is to a free-tools section on their site which may help find what ever virus you may have

 

by: David-HowardPosted on 2009-10-29 at 12:53:33ID: 25697567

The first thing to do, if you have not already is to change the password on your email account.
In some cases, a user's Contacts are copied by a virus and then forwarded to a recipient for future use. If this is the case it is virtually impossible to stop them once they have your Contact listing.
The The MyDoom and Novarg viruses are an example of this.
From your posting though, it would seem that your email account has been compromised and not your home computers.

 

by: acolgor1Posted on 2009-10-29 at 13:21:15ID: 25697837

Let me see if I got you correctly David Howard.     This virus got into my email, got my contact information and took off with it.    The data is gone.      I did change the password, not only of my email account, but all the financially sensitive sites I have.     Is this what I am hearing you say.    The damage is done, and there isn't much I can do about it.     Furthermore, the computers are not infected ( I did run virus scans against all of them and deleted all cookies).     Would the virus scan software recommended here work with a mac?

 

by: David-HowardPosted on 2009-10-29 at 13:57:43ID: 25698180

Yes, if the intrusion was virus related and of the type that I mentioned then once the Contact data is copied/compromised you have little recourse. If this is true, the first action I would take is to inform my contacts (hopefully this isn't a very high number) of the situation and warn them of any possible emails sent on "your behalf". Meaning, if they get something lude or odd chances are it's not from you. I would also create a new email account. Changing your password for pedistrian sites as well as your financial sites is a very good and pro-active thing to do.
If your systems are indeed clean then I would strongly suspect that your email account was indeed compromised. As a note, some people that have their email accounts are contacted by their ISP's with a spam warning. As some accounts that have been breached are used to send spam. The ISP doesn't know (or care) that your account is being used maliciously, only that it is sending out thousands of email's with your name attached. Something to be aware of.
As for the anti-virus and anti-malware suggested as it relates to a MAC, I do not know of a current (of future planned) version.
Avast does have a MAC suite available.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/networking_security/avastantivirusmacedition.html

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