Re: Trojan virus?

From: Sarah (anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 01/12/04 

Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 13:57:07 -0800

Stephanie writes:
>-----Original Message-----
>Hi,
>
>a friend of mine has booked a ticket for a concert and a
few minutes later
>it was booked again. When he complained to the ticket-
company and said that
>he only ordered one ticket and asked why they charged
him two, they said
>that it was booked twice. When they checked their log-
file, they found that
>one was ordered from my computer. But to do so, I would
have had needed my
>friends log-in, his PIN and his bank account. Now he is
really pissed off at
>me and thinks I spyed in his stuff, which I definitely
didn't.
>
>However, there is no question that the order was sent
from my computer. Now
>my question: Since I know I definitely didn't do this
and noone else has
>access to my computer - is there any kind of virus that
can do things like
>that? Like a trojan virus or anything that scans
computers which I have a
>connection to (via FTP), spys out passwords and then
completes actions like
>booking something the other person did just a second ago?
>
>If there is a Virus like that, please tell me. My anti-
virus hasn't found
>anything, but I know I didn't betray my friend and I
don't want our
>friendship to be ruined. So I am looking for an
explanation...
>
>Thanx,
>Steph
>
>PS: Please excuse my english.
>
      Perhaps I am being cynical, but this >>When they
checked their log-file, they found that one was ordered
from my computer<< seems odd. I take it you have a fixed
address, for which owner information is available?
     The first thing I would do would be to get and
properly configure a firewall - Zone Alarm has one free
at:
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp
This way you know that you have control over your
machine. Next I'd make sure my operating system was fully
patched with Critical Updates (also free):
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
Then I'd run a scan for infections (free) from
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp
     Unless problems were found with infections, or
failures to get and apply Critical updates, the next step
might well be to quietly check out your friend's story. I
would call the company and see if they really are willing
and able to provide information such as your friend
described.
     An approach such as "I'm sorry that happened to you,
I had nothing to do with it, how about we work on
ensuring that your machine is secure" might save your
friendship. At a minimum, your friend needs to change
passwords.

Relevant Pages

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  • Re: trojan?
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