Okay, I have a question

[jeregenest]

My virus checker (McAfee with the latest updates) says my computer ahs no virsues. So why do I keep getting email from addresses identifying themselves as MailAdmins (ones I've never heard of) saying my mail is rejected because of a virus.

This has been happening for a while and I'd like to make it stop. Or it just spam? I actually don't get much spam at my verizon address so I'm curious.

Comments

[yud.livejournal.com]

When email viruses spread, they tend to use fake return-addresses. For example, if I got a virus, and I had your email address in my address book, the virus might send out copies of itself with your address as the return address. Then the MailAdmins see the emails, see that the emails are infected, and see that your email address is listed as the return address, and so the MailAdmins deduce that you must be the one spreading the virus, even though you had nothing to do with it.

So that's one possible explanation.

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

Oh good, I just don't want to be the one sending out virus infected email to folks I've never heard of!

[fossilapostle.livejournal.com]

Do these messages you're getting have attachments? There's one virus out there (my brain is too hot to remember which right now) that propagates by sending itself as a warning message with instructions to open the attachment. When you do so, voila! You're infected!

Also, some viruses send themselves to others with a spoofed email address they have collected elsewhere. When the recipient's mail server catches these, it sends a warning back to the sender - which in this case may be you, even though you're not infacted and never send the message in the first place. It's a pain to deal with, but in the long run, it helps some people who may be infected.

Either way, if you've got a fully updated McAfee, and your running scans regularly, you're as safe as they get.

- DocAwk

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

Sometimes they do, but I never open them. I learned that lesson years ago.

So as longas I continue to keep McAfee up to date and make sure it autoscans everything and do manual scans regularly I shouldn't be worried. Good to hear. Thanks!

[fossilapostle.livejournal.com]

You're as safe as you can get that way - but keep in mind that some viruses can sneak through security holes before McAfee or anyone else even knows about them. If you're using Windows, make sure to check for Windows Updates frequently, as well. That will patch any holes that have been discovered in the system. The quickest way to do this is to click on Windows Update in your Start menu - or if it's not there, go to windowsupdate.microsoft.com and run through the steps.

The most recent of the nasty viruses, the Sasser worm, propagated itself through a Windows security hole that had not yet been patched - and it wasn't until right after several thousand had been infected that fixes and patches were avaiable for it.

- DocAwk

[gentlyepigrams]

I get those messages all the time and I'm on a Mac, so I know that I'm not spreading the virus. Most servers are configured to bounce the mail to the return address, and most viruses grab random return addresses out of their victims' address book. It probably has nothing to do with you.

Having said that, some mow-rons have their mail servers configured to send back the virus-laden payload! Be careful opening bounce messages.

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

I delete them unopened. I also have McAfee configured to autoscan all my incoming email.

[editswlonghair.livejournal.com]

I've been getting these on my Mac at work for the past couple of months too. Glad I'm not alone. I keep hoping the OS X Mail's Junk Filter will learn and shunt these to the Junk folder for me.

[shiffer.livejournal.com]

If you really want to be sure try the Panda ActiveScan (http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm). It's very good and since it's web based it's completely independant of your own system (or antivirus, which itself may be infected). I use it regularly and it caught things the McAfee missed more then once.

[spiritseeker.livejournal.com]

Funny thing. Your ISP may have a virus and may be slapping it into your emails after they leave your machine.

I've seen it happen. If it keeps up, contact your ISP.