Have I been hijacked?

[percy]

I've had a few problems with spyware and trojans recently but thought I'd got rid of them. I use AVG AV, Adaware, CWShredder, Spybot almost everyday and keep them updated.
Yesterday while online, my email scanner activated and a load of emails were sent from Outlook Express to addresses I didn't recognise. Almost all of them have been returned as undeliverable. The PC was also trying to connect to various IP addresses at the same time. I shut down and then did full-scans, but as soon as I logged back on, the same thing happened.
Any ideas/advice?
Thanks

[malman]

No firewall mentioned in that lot? do you have a hardware based one?

Sounds like you may have a trojan running somewhere. If you have personal firewall software with outbound blocking has anything new requested net access.

Check for any new .dll .exe .com files created around the time of you spyware problem.

[_deejay_]

percy said:

I've had a few problems with spyware and trojans recently but thought I'd got rid of them. I use AVG AV, Adaware, CWShredder, Spybot almost everyday and keep them updated. Yesterday while online, my email scanner activated and a load of emails were sent from Outlook Express to addresses I didn't recognise. Almost all of them have been returned as undeliverable. The PC was also trying to connect to various IP addresses at the same time. I shut down and then did full-scans, but as soon as I logged back on, the same thing happened. Any ideas/advice? Thanks

Virus?

[percy]

wouldn't AVG anti-virus pick up any virus? Certainly doesn't indicate any problem.
I don't have a firewall on that particular PC - was going to install Zone Alarm - is this any good?

[MrHeed]

get Zonealarm on there a.s.a.p.

Then try to get your system clean.

Anyone without a firewall is wide open. Stick a clean computer on the internet without a firewall and it will be sassered within 5 minutes, and lord know what else after not much longer.

I use a router with a firewall on it to connect to the outside world, and have a software firewall, plus AV, Spyware (Adaware, Spybot) amd anti-spam software on the computer.