Author Topic: Emails carrying virus  (Read 3026 times)

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Rodders

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Emails carrying virus
« on: November 29, 2008, 03:07:07 PM »
My server informs me of emails containing viruses that have been deleted at source. These are normally from obscure addresses. Recently I had notification of one that apparently came from one of my own email addresses that I use with a website I operate. Is this something to be concerned about?

Offline DavidR

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Re: Emails carrying virus
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2008, 03:20:59 PM »
No it isn't they aren't coming from you but someone using your email address in the from field, which is easy to forge. The possibility is that a friend, colleague or someone that you have corresponded with is infected and your email is in their address book. The malware on that system harvests email addresses from that system and sends emails out to try an infect other systems.

This is a common tactic as emails from you would if you had get through any anti-spam filters as your email address is likely to be white listed, so is trying to get by weak defences.

Fortunately your email server scans emails, but it is likely that avast would also have detected it, so at least you have two lines of defence.
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Rodders

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Re: Emails carrying virus
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2008, 04:16:07 PM »
Thanks very much David R, very reassuring. Lesson learned about posting on the wrong board, sorry.

Offline DavidR

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Re: Emails carrying virus
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2008, 04:57:47 PM »
No problem, welcome to the forums.
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