What the Tech?! Free tech support Archive
This is a read-only archive. No new posts or registrations. Privacy Page
Spyware / Malware / Virus Removal

[Resolved]Am I An Unaware Spammer?

1 min read

This thread's last reply is from . Advice, software, and links below may be out of date — treat specific steps and download links with caution.

Looking for the outcome? Ask AI

Post #1
Hi - some time since I have visited this esteemed forum though always recommend it. Not sure whether I have a problem or whether a spammer is just using a variation of my ID.

One of my email accounts and only one of the four on the same freeserve (orange) uk address has attracted a significant amount of spam which has just been deleted. Overnight last night we suddenly got nearly 2000 undeliverable mail or out of office messages addressed to a previously non existent prefix at my basic email address. Only unusual thing I had done was unsubscribe to Shockwave.

I run xpsp2, using IE7 and OE6 on a dial up connection. I have AVG free edition kept up to date and AVG free antispyware and the basic windows firewall. Had slight suspicion when seemed to have a slight problem updating AVG antispyware today (2 weeks since last manual update) but have scanned regularly and found nothing except tracking cookies. Today downloaded spybot search and destroy - slightly different load of cookies and one see include errors log message re a trojan but could not find such a log and the FAQ suggests it could be a minor bug. Here is my hijack this log - seems fairly innocent to my untrained eye but perhaps you can spot something. Very grateful for any advice and thanks in advance for the attention

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 22:59:09, on 21/08/2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16512)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE2.0\OpwareSE2.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Device Manager\Bin\DeviceManager.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Radeon Omega Drivers\v2.6.53\ATI Tray Tools\atitray.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Lime Service\bin\LimeAlive.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org1.1.4\program\soffice.exe
C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Lime Service\bin\Lime.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasDtServ.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\My Downloads\Hijack this\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Easy-WebPrint - {327C2873-E90D-4c37-AA9D-10AC9BABA46C} - C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Toolband.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AtiPTA] atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATICCC] "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe" runtime -Delay
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [gcasServ] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OpwareSE2] "C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE2.0\OpwareSE2.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PhilipsDM] "C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Device Manager\Bin\DeviceManager.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AtiTrayTools] C:\Program Files\Radeon Omega Drivers\v2.6.53\ATI Tray Tools\atitray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PhilipsLime] "C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Lime Service\bin\LimeAlive.exe"
O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 1.1.4.lnk = C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org1.1.4\program\quickstart.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Add To Print List - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_AddToList.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint High Speed Print - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_HSPrint.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Preview - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_Preview.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Print - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_Print.html
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O11 - Options group: [INTERNATIONAL] International*
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{737ED384-E930-4171-9001-DF25185B7860}: NameServer = 195.92.195.95 195.92.195.94
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Anti-Spyware Guard - GRISOFT s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
Post #2
Hi mprhly99,

Your HijackThis log is clean of malware, and from what you've said I think it's very likely your machine is clean too.

We can however get rid of one orphaned entry using HijackThis:

Then, open HijackThis, choose Do a system scan only and place a checkmark next to the following lines:

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)


Then close all open windows apart from HijackThis, press Fix checked, OK the prompt and close HijackThis.

It's possible that a spammer has obtained your email login and password and is using your account to send spam, the solution to this issue is simply to change your password and you should probably do this as a precaution. Sadly, it's not necessary to have access to your account to send spam emails in your name. The most likely thing is simply that your email address or domain has been used without any access to your account, and you are receiving all the undeliverable/out-of-office messages.

Please post another HijackThis log once you have removed that entry. Also let me know if you have any questions, further issues or other symptoms of infection to report.
Post #3
:wavey: Thank you silver for your thorough response and helpful remarks. I think it was probably a random though no doubt repeatable generation of spam as you suggest and not from my machine though some of the undeliverable replies from postmasters confirm that the email sent was infected. Panic though when you suddenly get deluged. there are still a few coming through but it doesn't look like anything continuous or continuing.

I removed the orphan as you suggested and did an immediate scan but rather than posting it immediately I reverted to using OE rather than the web based mail for 24 hours to see if there would be any change and have done another which I post here - it is just the same and there are no other symptoms and my AVG spyware updated ok. So it looks OK (fingers crossed) and thank you very much for your attention, especially when all around there are people who have succumbed to infection - as indeed I have before on an older pc. If it looks ok I am happy for you to close this and thank you very much again.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 20:42:23, on 24/08/2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16512)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE2.0\OpwareSE2.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Device Manager\Bin\DeviceManager.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Radeon Omega Drivers\v2.6.53\ATI Tray Tools\atitray.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Lime Service\bin\LimeAlive.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org1.1.4\program\soffice.exe
C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Lime Service\bin\Lime.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasDtServ.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\My Downloads\Hijack this\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Easy-WebPrint - {327C2873-E90D-4c37-AA9D-10AC9BABA46C} - C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Toolband.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AtiPTA] atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATICCC] "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe" runtime -Delay
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [gcasServ] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OpwareSE2] "C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE2.0\OpwareSE2.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PhilipsDM] "C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Device Manager\Bin\DeviceManager.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AtiTrayTools] C:\Program Files\Radeon Omega Drivers\v2.6.53\ATI Tray Tools\atitray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PhilipsLime] "C:\Program Files\Philips\Philips Lime Service\bin\LimeAlive.exe"
O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 1.1.4.lnk = C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org1.1.4\program\quickstart.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Add To Print List - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_AddToList.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint High Speed Print - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_HSPrint.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Preview - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_Preview.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Easy-WebPrint Print - res://C:\Program Files\Canon\Easy-WebPrint\Resource.dll/RC_Print.html
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O11 - Options group: [INTERNATIONAL] International*
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Anti-Spyware Guard - GRISOFT s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
Post #4
Hi mprhly99, I'm glad everything sounds OK and you're most welcome. If you have any further problems or concerns please let us know :).
Post #5
Since this issue appears to be resolved … this Topic has been closed. Glad we could be of assistance. If you're the topic starter, and need this topic reopened, please contact a staff member with the address of the thread. Everyone else please begin a New Topic.

Ask AI

AI can make mistakes. Check the cited posts. Archived advice can be out-of-date

Don't include personal information. Questions and selected public posts go to OpenAI. About Ask AI