My mail address is being used what do I do?

[Guest]

I have a full virus scanner which is returning mail to addresses I have never sent them to as having unnaceptable attachments.The latest was to some address that I have never heard of using my E mail address and containing a file called "naughty screensaver".I did have a virus a month ago which wasnt detected but I removed it correctly updated the latest Nortons and changed so that I always have the latest version running.Running the latest virus scan no virus are found.What can I do to stop the use of my E mail?>A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of itsrecipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed: webmaster@vitria.com This message has been rejected because it has a potentially executable attachment document_all.pif This form of attachment has been used by recent viruses or other malware. If you meant to send this file then please package it up as a zip file and resend it.

[Guest Ken_Salter]

Probably nothing.Someone who has your email address in their Outlook Address book is infected with one of these stupid virii.You can hope that these people will scan their computers, but I wouldn't hold my breath. ;-)http://saltydogfly2.avsim.net/images/avsim_sig.jpg"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."

[Guest drobson]

As Ken says, "probably nothing". Until people realize that they need a good a/v program, and then faithfully and regularly update the file definitions, these things will simply continue to make the rounds. I get about 100 of these everyday in one of my mail accounts, (virus infested attachments). Fortunately, they come in as "bulk", and are very easily removed. Some of them say they are from avsim.com and flightsim.com, flightsimcentral.com, etc., and various other sim sites. One particular virus is set to activate itself on Sunday night. I believe this is the sobig virus. About all one can do, is to ignore/delete the messages you've been getting, and to not open any attachment. (Unless, of course, you can verify the sender, and are expecting certain files from that sender).Darrell

[Guest Iain Spowart]

Hi Peter,I had the same problem the other week because a friend of mine had the BugBear virus. It can send e-mails with (fake or real) addresses made up of existing addresses in their Address Book.Her computer was sending e-mails from 'chris_@iainspowart.com' which was another friend's boyfriend's e-mail address combined with my domain-name. They kept being returned to me from addresses which I didn't even know so I managed to work out who it was that had the virus and got it sorted out.Very annoying, and as a worst case it could cause mail servers to start black-listing your legitimate e-mail addresses!People are starting to get the message about having anti-virus software but not everyone keeps it up to date. My friend had just re-installed her computer from it's 'recovery' disc (because it kept crashing... funny that, since she had a virus!) so her virus definitions had gone back to the ones that were current when she bought her PC. About as useful as the proverbial chocolate fireguard!Iain Spowart,Scotland.Webmaster and photographer,Scottish Rockettes Dance Squad Official Web-Sitehttp://avsim.iainspowart.com/rockettes.gifhttp://www.scottishrockettes.comScottish Claymores Cheerleaders Fan Sitehttp://www.claymorescheerleaders.comMotorsport Photographyhttp://www.iainspowart.com

[BobP 56]

Peter,This is apparently a new "outbreak" occuring over the last two days. We are getting 20 to 30 Sobig viruses an HOUR from a couple of mail servers that have been infected. Bob...