internet mail scanning- what program is sending spam?

General Topics
1

Using the freeware version of Avast…something is sending constant spam messages from my computer, using “internet mail”.
How do I use Avast to find out what program is doing this? There doesn’t seem to be unusual activity anywhere using task manager (windows xp pro) and nothing that I can identify as an “internet mail” program running at all.
Suggestions?
Thanks!

OK, there isn’t a process besides Avast running in the Task Mgr, Messenger isn’t installed- HOW DO I FIND OUT WHAT PROGRAM AVAST IS MONITORING, THAT IS SENDING SPAM OUT???

Tech, thanks much for your suggestions, but is it really neccesary to install five additional programs to stop, clean, and prevent this?
If Avast would tell me which program was sending the spam, I’d be able to work with that.

2

Please tell us how you know this is happening and tell us what messages (text of messages), if any, that you are getting.

Are these messages from Windows or avast?

3

I suggest:

  1. Disable System Restore and reenable it after step 3.
  2. Clean your temporary files.
  3. Schedule a boot time scanning with avast with archive scanning turned on.
  4. Use SUPERantispyware and/or Spyware Terminator to scan for spywares and trojans. If any infection is detected, better and safer is send the file to Quarantine than to simple delete than.
  5. Test your machine with anti-rootkit applications. I suggest AVG or Trend Micro RootkitBuster.
  6. Make a HijackThis log to post here or, better, submit the RunScanner log to to on-line analysis.
  7. Immunize your system with SpywareBlaster or Windows Advanced Care.
  8. Check if you have insecure applications with Secunia Software Inspector.
4

When I double clicked on the icon in th e lower right tray and highlight internet mail, I could see the activity as each message goes out- Avast tells me the subject line, but I’m quite surprised that there seems to be no way to find out which program is active. I was getting many, many warning windows layered onto the desktop, but absolutely no clue as to what program was sending them out.
I finally uninstalled Windows Live Messenger and it stopped- hoping that a reinstall will not include whatever malware was working.
I did the boot scan, which was great- Avast found several Trojans and other assorted malware: though it missed a file in my system32 which was causing popups and changing my desktop to a warning screen that included links to who knows what.
Ghost popup killer found the offending file and I renamed it, restarted, and deleted it.

5

Thanks for posting your solution, elementfe.

I guess all is ok now?

6

No, I’ve found many interesting malwares on that machine, but no matter what I do it still sends out spam. I’m trying AVG AntiSpyware right now but all it’s finding is tracking cookies- there is malware in the temp and Tem. Internet Files but I still don’t know what to do about that…nothing is working so far

7

If tech’s suggestions above do not help, then post a HJT this log for review this thread.