Email from members with virus

[shfr26]

Just got 2 emails from 2 members of LOR. Both had a virus, anybody else having this problem????

[-klb-]

Just a reminder, it is often not the "from" addresses that have the virus, but rather, they are likely adress book entries on the infected computer...

[jimswinder]

shfr26 wrote:

Just got 2 emails from 2 members of LOR. Both had a virus, anybody else having this problem????

Just the usual Winder Curse virus...

it tends to run amok...

it could also be a third party that has stolen someones email account and using their contacts...

[shfr26]

I don't think that the 2 of them have ever sent emails to each other or even know each other.

[Guest guest]

Hey if anyone ever gets something like that from my e-mail addresses, shoot me a PM quick so I can nip that in the bud!

I had that happen with one of my hotmail accounts a few years ago, there was NO INDICATION of any messages being sent to the folks that replied to MY e-mail saying I had sent them some type of e-mail. I had never sent anything to these folks, I didn't even know them myself and they were NOT in any of my address books either.

Scammers, hackers and spewers that send this stuff have found a way to sometimes hijack a persons e-mail and send this crap, WITHOUT ever using anyone in your address book.

If you use online e-mail, and they have an option to use HTTPS over HTTP, use the HTTPS setting, ever since I have went that route, my e-mail address hasn't been "hijacked" in this manner.

However, if you use OUTLOOK EXPRESS or some other desktop e-mail client, make sure you have a really good virus scanner, malware scanner and any other type e-mail scanner that checks and verifies what is sent or comes in to your e-mail client. This helps some, but won't stop it completely as these vermin always seem to find a way around any unsecured type e-mail software or unsecured on-line e-mail accounts.

If your on-line e-mail account service doesn't provide a secure HTTPS option, contact them and request they add it. Sure has saved me a lot of grief since I changed over to HTTPS, just makes it a little more difficult to share attachments and other things at times, by having to go through a few extra steps. But it's well worth it!

[jimswinder]

FYI...

FIRST, MANY PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF
**The main difference between http:// and https:// is It's all about keeping you secure** HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transport Protocol,

Which is just a fancy way of saying it's a protocol (a language, in a manner of speaking) For information to be passed back and forth between web servers and clients. The important thing is the letter S which makes the difference between HTTP and HTTPS.

The S (big surprise) stands for "Secure". If you visit a website or webpage, and look at the address in the web browser, it will likely begin with the following: http://.

This means that the website is talking to your browser using the regular 'unsecure' language. In other words, it is possible for someone to "eavesdrop" on your computer's conversation with the website. If you fill out a form on the website, someone might see the information you send to that site.

This is why you never ever enter your credit card number in an http website! But if the web address begins with https://, that basically means your computer is talking to the website in a secure code that no one can eavesdrop on.

You understand why this is so important, right?

If a website ever asks you to enter your credit card information, you should automatically look to see if the web address begins with https://.

If it doesn't, there's no way you're going to enter sensitive information like a credit card number.

I see that my hotmail account is http but my Gmail account is https...and LOR is http...

[jimswinder]

actually just found some more info...

if you click on the icon in the address bar (such as the envelope in the gmail address (see below) you can get more information...

and as you can see, even though Gmail has the https, it is still NOT totally secure and does not stop people from eavesdropping on your activity...


Attached files

[Guest guest]

Jim, you are aware you can change your Hotmail account to HTTPS, aren't you?

For Jim or anyone else that may have an hotmail account and wants to know how to set it up for use wityh HTTPS:

Go to OPTIONS, then click ADVANCED SETTINGS under the header"Customizing Hot Mail", once clicked, on the next page scroll down to the bottom of the page under the header: "Using HTTPS for Extra Security" under this header is some text and at the end you can click on the link: "Go to HTTPS settings", this may/may not take you back to your hotmail log in page, if so, enter your info for the account you were just working on, a page will open showing you a couple of options using radio buttons and give you some added information, click on the circle radio button next to the text that says: Use HTTPS automatically (please see the note above)


Now click on the Save button.

Now that Hotmail account will use HTTPS.

If you did it correctly, the next time you access your hotmail account the url WILL start with https:// As a matter of fact, it should take you back to the account you just modified and https:// should be showing at the beginning of the url.

You will have to do this for each individual hotmail account you have.

All of my hotmail accounts are now HTTPS.

BTW Jim: Thanks for the explaination, you're right some folks may not realize just how much of a difference there is between the two.

[Guest guest]

This is what Hotmail says about https:

Using HTTPS will help keep your account secure from hackers-especially if you commonly use public computers or unsecure wireless connections.

Important note: Turning on HTTPS will work for Hotmail over the web, but it will cause errors if you try to access Hotmail through programs like:
The Windows Live application for Windows Mobile and Nokia
MSN Explorer
If you only need a temporary HTTPS connection, enter "https" in front of the web address instead of "http".

[Guest guest]

NOTE: I missed a step above, after OPTIONS is clicked, then select (click) MAIL on the left side of the screen, then click ADVANCED SETTINGS under the header"Customizing Hot Mail", once clicked, on the next page scroll down to the bottom of the page under the header: "Using HTTPS for Extra Security" under this header is some text and at the end you can click on the link: "Go to HTTPS settings", this may/may not take you back to your hotmail log in page, if so, enter your info for the account you were just working on, a page will open showing you a couple of options using radio buttons and give you some added information, click on the circle radio button next to the text that says: Use HTTPS automatically (please see the note above)

Beginning to really wish we had that edit button back! So we can make correction when this stuff happens!

[jimswinder]

Orville wrote:

Jim, you are aware you can change your Hotmail account to HTTPS, aren't you?

I did not know that...THANKS!!!

Strange though they have that as an option...if it is more secure why not just make it the default?

[Dan C]

I just got a phone call from my bank saying my card number has been compromised... They didn't see any fraudulent charges just yet so they canceled the card and are issuing a new one. Major hassle, but at least my bank is looking out for me.

FYI, I have been buying online for many many years, and this is the first time I've ever had any trouble. I never enter personal info on a non secure -non trusted website.

[CKSedg]

Dan C wrote:

I just got a phone call from my bank saying my card number has been compromised... They didn't see any fraudulent charges just yet so they canceled the card and are issuing a new one. Major hassle, but at least my bank is looking out for me.

FYI, I have been buying online for many many years, and this is the first time I've ever had any trouble. I never enter personal info on a non secure -non trusted website.

I just had the same thing happen on my corporate charge card at work. Had to get a new one.

Several years ago I had multiple charges (for over $2,000 total) on my corporate card---all from the French Riviera! Well, I promise I have never been there, nor has my card, so after about six months I finally got it all straightened out and they dropped the charges and interest. What a hassle.

[TitusCarnathan]

Dan C wrote:

I just got a phone call from my bank saying my card number has been compromised... They didn't see any fraudulent charges just yet so they canceled the card and are issuing a new one. Major hassle, but at least my bank is looking out for me.

FYI, I have been buying online for many many years, and this is the first time I've ever had any trouble. I never enter personal info on a non secure -non trusted website.

sounds like you got attacked by a keylogger I would do a through scan on your computer

[TitusCarnathan]

actually I got hit by one earlyer this month and I am not sure if it took anything or not

[Guest guest]

jimswinder wrote:

Orville wrote:

Jim, you are aware you can change your Hotmail account to HTTPS, aren't you?

I did not know that...THANKS!!!

Strange though they have that as an option...if it is more secure why not just make it the default?

Had a feeling some folks may not have known about this option. All of my hotmail accounts have been this way for a little over a year now. I think they implemented this sometime in early 2010, as there was no option for this when I first signed up for my initial account(s) about 7+ or so years ago.

Before they implemented this option, I was always getting replies from folks that I was sending out viral laced messages, I have EVERYTHING I send also logged to my Sent folder, yet, I could find no messages there, so my accounts were being hijacked prior to this option.

Ever since I've set it to https, I have not had any further incidents of getting replies from both known and unknown folks I was spewing out viral laden e-mails that supposedly were coming from those accounts.


However I do agree, that now that they offer this option, it should be the default. I think that would be much smarter than just the regular format you get when you initially create the account.

Maybe we need to send some feedback to the "Hotmail folks" and suggest that be the default instead of the option! Think they'll listen?:?

[doug petschke]

jimswinder wrote:

actually just found some more info...

if you click on the icon in the address bar (such as the envelope in the gmail address (see below) you can get more information...

and as you can see, even though Gmail has the https, it is still NOT totally secure and does not stop people from eavesdropping on your activity...

Jim, how long have you been using googlemail?

We just switched over to it at work and I am really surprised Google would put together such a clunky email program, stupid bells and whistles and crap functionality compared to outlook

the calendar is very basic does not allow hyperlinks etc which I was using in outlook for my techs obtain job information on our work database

I guess for those that do not need these features and only need a simple email program it would be fine

my opinion of course



l8trz