I think I have a virus? Mass emails went out to everyone that I ever emailed. I didn't send them. What do I do? (desktop, how to)

[Roma]

I'm not sure what the heck happened but a couple of days ago my computer shot out emails to everyone I have ever emailed. I'm thinking some kind of virus? I don't know what was in the email (some advertisement). I had massive "mailer- daemon" also in my email so obvious it was trying to email those and for various reasons was unable to. It did get to some people though.

What the heck happened? Is this a virus or something else? How do I make sure it doesn't happen again?

Thank you~

[elnina]

Scan your computer for malvare, then make sure that your protection is up to date.
You might want to get this:
SUPERAntiSpyware Portable is the Must-Have Spyware Removal Tool You Need - How-To Geek ,
install it to your desktop and get portable version too ( both free)
follow the instruction
you can get more info here;
How To Remove Internet Security 2010 and other Rogue/Fake Antivirus Malware - How-To Geek
good luck!

[mawipafl]

Yes, something got in and grabbed your address book. Scan the heck out of your machine for spyware, malware, viruses (and use the good softwares suggested by those here in city-data as being the best of the bunch). Make sure your firewall is fully active, too.

Since I'm aware this kind of thing happens, I have a bogus email address in my list that I put there purposely. If it gets grabbed, it has no choice but to come back as a mailer daemon because its domain doesn't exist -- and if it bounces back and ends up in my in-box, then I know for sure that something got in and took my address book and that there is no other explanation.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by elnina

Scan your computer for malvare, then make sure that your protection is up to date.
You might want to get this:
SUPERAntiSpyware Portable is the Must-Have Spyware Removal Tool You Need - How-To Geek ,
install it to your desktop and get portable version too ( both free)
follow the instruction
you can get more info here;
How To Remove Internet Security 2010 and other Rogue/Fake Antivirus Malware - How-To Geek
good luck!

Another good free one is malwarebytes.