T
Tom G.
Subject: Self-Replicating e-mails
From: "Tom G." <[email protected]> Sent:
11/28/2003 9:36:58 PM
Request a recommendation on what action I may need to
take, please. I greatly appreciate your help:
System: two computers, home-networked.
computer(1): hp desktop, pentium 4, XP w/ MS Outlook (2003)
computer(2): compaq presario 1700, ME w/ MS Outlook (2002)
Internet Service Provider: Road-Runner via cable modem.
Both computers have updated virus protection programs -
neither one found a virus after a complete system scan.
Description of Problem: computer(1)send a newsletter to
ca. 150 recipients, 74 kb in size, via Outlook. Computer
user (2) opened Outlook, updated e-mail via 'send &
receive', and received original newletter replicated 3x.
One of the 3 files had ca. 20 files attached, which seemed
to originate from that computer's local HD. (Computer (2)
continued to receive additional replications during the
course of a few hours). Some recipients informed us that
they had gotten a dozen replications, w/o attachments, and
showing the originator's e-mail address as the source of
the file, not that of computer(2). The replications had
sequential time stamps, not necessarily corresponding to
the time of the original dispatch. All files showed an un-
natural file size of 3 MB, not the 74 kb originally send
out.
Road Runner support indicated that Outlook had a known
problem with self-replicating e-mails. Considered a virus
only an unlikely possibility, given the scan results.
Compaq Support - after requesting a search of *.mbx and
*.dbx files(?)with negative results - recommended to
reinstall Outlook. Computer(2) user secured the data files
(by right-clicking on 'Outlook Today', then Properties,
and tracing the location of the Outlook data files on C
drive for copy), and reinstalled Outlook using the 'repair
option'. Computer(1) user, in fear of losing vital data,
has not reinstalled Outlook, believing the problem to
be 'server related'.
I would appreciate hearing your recommendation, and also I
would like to have someone tell me that all data
(particularly the address book and calendar entries) are
properly secured by copying the Outlook folder contained
in the path identified by the aforementioned procedure. I
hope that I do not need to restore both computers' to
their orgiginal, as purchased, condition.
Thanks for your comments, Tom G.
From: "Tom G." <[email protected]> Sent:
11/28/2003 9:36:58 PM
Request a recommendation on what action I may need to
take, please. I greatly appreciate your help:
System: two computers, home-networked.
computer(1): hp desktop, pentium 4, XP w/ MS Outlook (2003)
computer(2): compaq presario 1700, ME w/ MS Outlook (2002)
Internet Service Provider: Road-Runner via cable modem.
Both computers have updated virus protection programs -
neither one found a virus after a complete system scan.
Description of Problem: computer(1)send a newsletter to
ca. 150 recipients, 74 kb in size, via Outlook. Computer
user (2) opened Outlook, updated e-mail via 'send &
receive', and received original newletter replicated 3x.
One of the 3 files had ca. 20 files attached, which seemed
to originate from that computer's local HD. (Computer (2)
continued to receive additional replications during the
course of a few hours). Some recipients informed us that
they had gotten a dozen replications, w/o attachments, and
showing the originator's e-mail address as the source of
the file, not that of computer(2). The replications had
sequential time stamps, not necessarily corresponding to
the time of the original dispatch. All files showed an un-
natural file size of 3 MB, not the 74 kb originally send
out.
Road Runner support indicated that Outlook had a known
problem with self-replicating e-mails. Considered a virus
only an unlikely possibility, given the scan results.
Compaq Support - after requesting a search of *.mbx and
*.dbx files(?)with negative results - recommended to
reinstall Outlook. Computer(2) user secured the data files
(by right-clicking on 'Outlook Today', then Properties,
and tracing the location of the Outlook data files on C
drive for copy), and reinstalled Outlook using the 'repair
option'. Computer(1) user, in fear of losing vital data,
has not reinstalled Outlook, believing the problem to
be 'server related'.
I would appreciate hearing your recommendation, and also I
would like to have someone tell me that all data
(particularly the address book and calendar entries) are
properly secured by copying the Outlook folder contained
in the path identified by the aforementioned procedure. I
hope that I do not need to restore both computers' to
their orgiginal, as purchased, condition.
Thanks for your comments, Tom G.