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Virus and/or hacking problem with Windows Messenger
Virus and/or hacking problem with Windows Messenger

Virus and/or hacking problem with Windows Messenger
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Subject Author Date
Virus and/or hacking problem with Windows Messenger John 08-07-2008
Posted by John on August 7, 2008, 7:22 am
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I'm running Windows XP Pro SP2 and Windows Messenger v5.1.0701

About 10 days ago, I received 2 IM's, several hours apart, from one of
my contacts. Both of them asked me to go to unknown websites, a
different site in each message. I was very suspicious and cautious,
because I had never received this kind of IM before. The website from
the first message asked me to login with my MSN account and password. I
refused to do so. I never visited the website from the second message.

I sent an email to my contact and asked him if he had originated these 2
IM's. His answer was that he had not, and that many of his other
contacts had reported the same thing happening to them. He suspects
either he has a virus which is exploiting his Messenger account, or
someone has hacked into his account and is using it.

I shut down Messenger on my end and left it off until today. When I
re-started Messenger I had a notice that someone I have never heard of
has added me as a contact. I blocked that person from contacting me. His
ID is Brooke, his email and Sign-in name are brookesised@hotmail.com,
and his service is .NET Messenger Service.

I see how to remove him from *my* contact list. Is there any way for me
to remove myself from *his* contact list?

Is this something new, or is this a known and documented exploit? Is
there a fix for my contact, who apparently is the victim?

Thanks!

John
--
Please reply in this newsgroup. I never post my true
email address to prevent spam. Thank you.

Posted by Malke on August 7, 2008, 8:00 am
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John wrote:

> I'm running Windows XP Pro SP2 and Windows Messenger v5.1.0701
>
> About 10 days ago, I received 2 IM's, several hours apart, from one of
> my contacts. Both of them asked me to go to unknown websites, a
> different site in each message. I was very suspicious and cautious,
> because I had never received this kind of IM before. The website from
> the first message asked me to login with my MSN account and password. I
> refused to do so. I never visited the website from the second message.
>
> I sent an email to my contact and asked him if he had originated these 2
> IM's. His answer was that he had not, and that many of his other
> contacts had reported the same thing happening to them. He suspects
> either he has a virus which is exploiting his Messenger account, or
> someone has hacked into his account and is using it.
>
> I shut down Messenger on my end and left it off until today. When I
> re-started Messenger I had a notice that someone I have never heard of
> has added me as a contact. I blocked that person from contacting me. His
> ID is Brooke, his email and Sign-in name are brookesised@hotmail.com,
> and his service is .NET Messenger Service.
>
> I see how to remove him from *my* contact list. Is there any way for me
> to remove myself from *his* contact list?
>
> Is this something new, or is this a known and documented exploit? Is
> there a fix for my contact, who apparently is the victim?

This is nothing new. We in the tech industry have been warning users to
never click on links in IMs for years. There are many viruses and other
malware that target IMing.

There is no way for you to get your name off anyone else's contact list.
Whatever your friend is infected with has spread now. Your friend needs to
do a thorough scan for viruses and malware on his computer or take it to a
professional computer repair shop. I don't recommend using a
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ


Posted by John on August 7, 2008, 11:57 am
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Malke wrote:
> John wrote:
>
>> I shut down Messenger on my end and left it off until today. When I
>> re-started Messenger I had a notice that someone I have never heard of
>> has added me as a contact. I blocked that person from contacting me. His
>> ID is Brooke, his email and Sign-in name are brookesised@hotmail.com,
>> and his service is .NET Messenger Service.
>>
>> I see how to remove him from *my* contact list. Is there any way for me
>> to remove myself from *his* contact list?
>>
>
> There is no way for you to get your name off anyone else's contact list.
> Whatever your friend is infected with has spread now. Your friend needs to
> do a thorough scan for viruses and malware on his computer or take it to a
> professional computer repair shop. I don't recommend using a
> BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place.
>
Hi Malke,

Thanks for your quick reply. Should I delete "Brooke" from my contact
list, or am I better off leaving him on the list but blocked?

John
--
Please reply in this newsgroup. I never post my true
email address to prevent spam. Thank you.

Posted by =?Utf-8?B?RGFu?= on August 7, 2008, 8:56 am
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options


You can listen safely to Malke. His advice is good. The reason I am
responding is that sometimes you have people who put up bogus advice in
public Microsoft newsgroups and as far as your issue John "This is indeed
nothing new under the sun" Have a nice day.

<snipped John's Response for space and already in Malke's reply as well>

Posted by Tom [Pepper] Willett on August 7, 2008, 9:23 am
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options


Malke is not a "his" ;-)

: You can listen safely to Malke. His advice is good. The reason I am
: responding is that sometimes you have people who put up bogus advice in
: public Microsoft newsgroups and as far as your issue John "This is indeed
: nothing new under the sun" Have a nice day.
:
: <snipped John's Response for space and already in Malke's reply as well>



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