I received a virus mail sent from my own computer

[sunnyyen]

Before I download messages, I always first check the full letter head. From the letter head, I can tell the following email was sent automatically from my own computer:

avast! Antivirus: Inbound message INFECTED:
\creditcard.exe (Win32:Netsky-C [Wrm]) was deleted from the message.

I'm using Avast Home Edition, Standard Shield, P2P, Internet Mail all running, all set to High, and scan at least once a day. No damage to my own system is found yet, but I'm afraid my contacts may receive viruses from me.

[neal62]

One way to keep your pc from spreading any infections to your friends etc. Don't keep any e-mail addresses in your e-mail program "address book". Leave that blank, keep your addresses in a notebook and keep that near your pc station. I know this sounds outdated but you can't infect a spiral notebook. If its located at your station it might be just as fast looking up an address out of it with less problems.

[igor]

I don't understand the problem exactly... today, the viruses fake the "From" address, so it's rather hard to say where they really come from.

Are you saying that you found somewhere (where?) an "infected" e-mail, apparently from you (how do you know?) with a virus attachment actually removed by avast? Can you rephrase, please?

[DavidR]

It is highly unlikely that you received an infected email from your own computer.

1. Avast would have given a warning on the outbound email.

2. Your email address is simply in the address book or file on someones computer that is infected.

3. Email that is sent from infecetd computers usually has the from address forged, this is usually an address found in the addressbook.

Doing this often bypasses some spam/av programs as your email address is in your white/safe list. I have removed my email address from white lists to ensure that it too is checked. This is more a spam issue as avast doesn't care who sent the email it checks it.

[Lisandro]

Doing this often bypasses some spam/av programs as your email address is in your white/safe list. I have removed my email address from white lists to ensure that it too is checked. This is more a spam issue as avast doesn't care who sent the email it checks it.

I think it's safer do not include yourself into the 'friends' list of emails. You won't be so 'selfish' to send emails to yourself  , as David said, a spam killer will do the job. I have already receive false emails from myself and Spamihilator block them (one of them had a virus and the others just junk, spam  ).

[sunnyyen]

As I said, I analyzed the letter head, especially the route of the mail transfer, and the original sender was from my company's mail server, with the sender as myself. That's why I'm afraid that my computer may spreading viruses without my awareness although I cannot find any virus with Avast's thorough scan.

[shgoh]

don't worry sunnyyen...like what igor said...virus these days 'fake' the "From" address...i received a number of such emails too

[colincr]

keep your addresses in a notebook and keep that near your pc station.

Another way of doing it is maybe to keep your addresses in a txt document on the hard drive and check that for e-mail addresses etc.

[Lisandro]

Another way, just use a spam killer and block emails from yourself and, the majority of the time, be happy using an address book without so many copy & paste... Sometimes, time is more than security. Sometimes, block the inconvenience and use the technology with happiness!