Email compromised

platypus · 12 Nov 2012 at 10:49

So the wife has had that mass email spam sent to her address book advertising a free degree or something or other.

My question is that despite running an up to date and realtime AV scanner (Symantec Endpoint), I've changed her passwords and checked all the computers on the network, how can I be sure I've gotten rid of any potential malware?

I'm fairly sure her password wasn't cracked as I made her use an isolated complex one a while back, mind she does use her phone to check emails a lot, it could have been grabbed via wireless I suppose.

KIA · 12 Nov 2012 at 10:56

Boot to safe mode with networking, install MBAM, update definitions & perform a full system scan.

Move her to Gmail and setup 2-step authentication. http://support.google.com/accounts/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=180744

Keep the OS, Flash, Java, Browser, etc, up-to-date. Secunia PSI is able to assist with this.

platypus · 12 Nov 2012 at 11:39

She'll never go for having to use a text code every time she signs in.

She's only just gotten used to the idea of not using her birthdate as her password.

KIA · 12 Nov 2012 at 15:56

She'll only have to enter a code when she uses a new machine.

platypus · 12 Nov 2012 at 16:17

Ah ok, thanks for that

. Sounds good then, now to convincer her to use gmail..admittedly I hate the interface myself.

Antowns · 12 Nov 2012 at 16:22

If it were me I'd wipe the system entirely, you can never be completely sure that any compromising software is gone, it could have bound to a different file or downloaded itself elsewhere on your system.

bledd · 12 Nov 2012 at 21:03

I use Gmail two step. It's great. Only need to type a code in when using a new browser or machine.

The interface is awesome on Gmail

Marzipanogram · 12 Nov 2012 at 21:56

Forgive me for being stupid (I know it's hard

)
But, why doesn't your wife just use a email client to check Gmail, instead of logging into the website every time ?

She could use something like "Gmail Notifier Pro" or "MailWasher" to check for mail without downloading them to the desktop and delete any spam.
Then use Thunderbird etc to download any proper emails to the desktop.

I'd also recommend setting up some spam rules on the Gmail website, by adding keywords or people, companies to block, first.

platypus · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:47

She could, I'd have to set it up for her first though

.

Makes sense. I'll have to start looking at the setup this weekend.