Spam-Bot Exploiting My Email -- Please HELP

3 replies [Last post]
blue112
Offline
Joined: 01/31/2013

Hi everyone,

A couple days ago, I opened an email from a member of a Yahoo Group I was in. Ever since, I have contracted some sort of virus/spam-bot that exploits my email account, and sends spam emails to all of my contacts.

Here's what it looks like -

---------------------------------------------------
Hi/Hey [contact's name/nickname]

Hey check this out: bit.ly/[some address]

[My name]
---------------------------------------------------

I have attached a screenshot of this. It's annoying as can be. And I'm very concerned for my contacts.

If anyone can help please do.

Thank you

AttachmentSize
Screenshot at 2013-01-31 13:41:58.png188.55 KB
Zancudo
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Joined: 09/19/2012

this may sound odd, but did you try change to a strong password?

onpon4
Offline
Joined: 05/30/2012

Change your password.

I'm no expert on security, but I seriously doubt malware is the cause of this. People distributing malware generally target the much more vulnerable Windows operating system, and I don't see how malware could help to take over your E-mail account; either way, your password is needed. Change your password, and possibly some other security details, and the spam ought to stop.

Though while you're at it, you might want to change any passwords that were stored in an E-mail on that account.

Freemor
Offline
Joined: 05/23/2011

Sounds like you're a victim of this:

http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/index/~3/NzaR7UHUhIY

A group has been exploiting A vulnerability in yahoo to steal session cookies. Log out completely to be sure the cookie is invalidated then log in from a clean machine (live CD) and reset your password , Security questions, and double check the alternate/recovery E-mail is set correctly. As long as the session cookie is still valid the miscreants can get into the account.

Also any info in that account must be considered compromised. Any passwords, financial info (card numbers) etc will all need to be changed to prevent problems down the road.

Hope this helps,
Freemor