I have a terrible problem!

[Rita]

I had been receiving emails from mailer dameon about emails i supposedly sent that couldnt be delievered,which I never sent in the first place.I looked in my sent emails and there were probaly 200 emails there I had supposedly sent.They were porn emails sent to people i'd never heard of.I have never sent that many emails in 3 years!But there in my sent folder like I sent them and they have been sent--but not by me.What should i do.I'm in a panic :'( someone is using my email address somehow.

[puff-m-d]

Hi rita,

It sounds like you are infected with either a worm or a trojan. What AV and/or AT do you use?

[CrazyM]

-{ Quote: "But there in my sent folder like I sent them and they have been sent--but not by me.What should i do.I'm in a panic :'( someone is using my email address somehow." }-
Is this the sent folder in your e-mail client on your system or a web based account?

If it is the client on your system, you may want to deny it access to the Internet until you figure out what is going on.

Regards,

CrazyM

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Hi rita,

It sounds like you are infected with either a worm or a trojan. What AV and/or AT do you use?" }-
I have Panda platium and ewido and both are updated regularly

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Is this the sent folder in your e-mail client on your system or a web based account?

If it is the client on your system, you may want to deny it access to the Internet until you figure out what is going on.

Regards,

CrazyM" }-
It's my email account on aol

[Rita]

I contacted aol about this and changed my password and I am going to contact there fraud dept.That was their suggestion.

[puff-m-d]

Hi rita,

Here is what I would suggest.

First be sure your AV and AT are up to date.

Then download McAfee AVERT Stinger (http://download.nai.com/products/mcafee-avert/stinger.exe) as you will need it in a later step.

Then reboot into safe mode (http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406).

In the following scans, please make note of whatever if found and what actions are taken.

Run Stinger and then click the Scan Now button to begin scanning the specified drives/directories. You want to scan your entire C: drive. Let it fix whatever it finds.

Then run your AV and after it finishes, run your AT and let them fix whatever is found.

Reboot and then post back your findings.

You may also need to clean out your system restore depending on what is found.

Regards,
Kent

[Rita]

Thanks Kent
I will do that now!I will post back with results

[iceni60]

hi, Rita :) i dont want to get in Puff and CrazyM's way, but, if it were me i'd run as much as possible just to be on the safe side. there's the avast cleaner and the MicroWorld Anti Virus Toolkit.

http://www.avast.com/eng/down_cleaner.html

the MicroWorld Anti Virus Toolkit, below, is a very good scanner, i dont think it will remove anything like it did in the past, but it will let you know what it finds

http://www.mwti.net/download/tools/mwav.exe

i hope Puff and CrazyM dont mind me posting these links :-\
Good Luck :)

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Hi rita,

Here is what I would suggest.

First be sure your AV and AT are up to date.

Then download McAfee AVERT Stinger (http://download.nai.com/products/mcafee-avert/stinger.exe) as you will need it in a later step.

Then reboot into safe mode (http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406).

In the following scans, please make note of whatever if found and what actions are taken.

Run Stinger and then click the Scan Now button to begin scanning the specified drives/directories. You want to scan your entire C: drive. Let it fix whatever it finds.

Then run your AV and after it finishes, run your AT and let them fix whatever is found.

Reboot and then post back your findings.

You may also need to clean out your system restore depending on what is found.

Regards,
Kent" }-
Kent
First i made sure all apps.were up to date--I was sure they were but checked and they were.I then downloaded stinger.Then I rebooted in safe mode,ran stinger,it found nothing.Then I ran my av--nothing found.I ran ewido also nothing found.system seems to be clean.

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "hi, Rita :) i dont want to get in Puff and CrazyM's way, but, if it were me i'd run as much as possible just to be on the safe side. there's the avast cleaner and the MicroWorld Anti Virus Toolkit.

http://www.avast.com/eng/down_cleaner.html

the MicroWorld Anti Virus Toolkit, below, is a very good scanner, i dont think it will remove anything like it did in the past, but it will let you know what it finds

http://www.mwti.net/download/tools/mwav.exe

i hope Puff and CrazyM dont mind me posting these links :-\
Good Luck :)" }-
Thanks Iceni
I ran avast cleaner also--nothing found.thanks for link

[puff-m-d]

OK... Back to the question CrazyM asked.... When you access your e-mail do you use a mail client on your system and the sent folder is on your system? Or do you use a web based e-mail account where your e-mail are stored on a server?

[Primrose]

An Overview for you..and you did the right thing by contacting AOL and also changing your password.


AOL phishing email - "Checking Account Payment Notification"


http://www.fraudwatchinternational.com/fraud_alerts/040605_468_aol.htm


and


How do Spammers make money?

Its tough, but spam does pay if you keep at it long enough

Spammers are paid for selling known email address lists

Downloading images in email can tell spammers that you exist

Performing “Rumplestiltskin” attacks tell spammers who the real users are

Most spam is used to deliver other attack vectors, such as phishing scams, viruses, trojans, etc, but there is still some money to be made for selling products or services

Spammers sell lists of email addresses to other spammers

Spammers sell lists of open email proxies and compromised spam/virus
infected proxies


Personal Information Theft

Most worms over the past year have opened backdoors to allow attackers to harvest personal information from users by installation of keyloggers and trojans

Most attackers want serial numbers for games

Stealing credentials for online banking, Porn Sites, AOL account info, job search info, Search Engine Queries and web based email such as hotmail and yahoo

Steals credit card numbers by recording input into online purchase forms

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:cywctdKucf0J:https://antiphishing.kavi.com/events/Conference_Notes/Patrick_Belcher_of_USCERT_on_Future_Threats_as_Seen_From_2004.ppt+hijack+aol+email+account+porn&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&client=googlet

[Bubba]

-{ Quote: "After all its NOT a competition is it ? And the More ppl who can provide Positive + Useful input 2 help ppl the better all round." }-I wish not to take this too far off topic....but there are many that will simply disagree with that perspective. Your right....this is not a competition....but....from someone who has been assisting for quite a few years....I can state unequivically that once a few qualified posters have showed up....it is best to become a spectator(something I have been on numerous occasions) and let those few throw suggestions at the user....not a whole army.

Also for the record....so there's no mis-understanding my above comments....all who have posted so far are qualified....IMHO.

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "OK... Back to the question CrazyM asked.... When you access your e-mail do you use a mail client on your system and the sent folder is on your system? Or do you use a web based e-mail account where your e-mail are stored on a server?" }-
they are stored on a server.

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "An Overview for you..and you did the right thing by contacting AOL and also changing your password.


AOL phishing email - "Checking Account Payment Notification"


http://www.fraudwatchinternational.com/fraud_alerts/040605_468_aol.htm


and


How do Spammers make money?

Its tough, but spam does pay if you keep at it long enough

Spammers are paid for selling known email address lists

Downloading images in email can tell spammers that you exist

Performing “Rumplestiltskin” attacks tell spammers who the real users are

Most spam is used to deliver other attack vectors, such as phishing scams, viruses, trojans, etc, but there is still some money to be made for selling products or services

Spammers sell lists of email addresses to other spammers

Spammers sell lists of open email proxies and compromised spam/virus
infected proxies


Personal Information Theft

Most worms over the past year have opened backdoors to allow attackers to harvest personal information from users by installation of keyloggers and trojans

Most attackers want serial numbers for games

Stealing credentials for online banking, Porn Sites, AOL account info, job search info, Search Engine Queries and web based email such as hotmail and yahoo

Steals credit card numbers by recording input into online purchase forms

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:cywctdKucf0J:https://antiphishing.kavi.com/events/Conference_Notes/Patrick_Belcher_of_USCERT_on_Future_Threats_as_Seen_From_2004.ppt+hijack+aol+email+account+porn&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&client=googlet" }-
Thanks for the info,whoever sent these emails were trying to sell something,I'm sure although i didnt click on the link in the emails--was afraid to

[puff-m-d]

Hi rita,

It looks like you have done all you can do. I am glad your system is clean. There is one other possibility and that is someome that you have e-mailed has stored your address in their address book and they are infected. But you have done all the right things. You have verified your system is clean and have changed your password after notifying the correct authorities. Since you use a web based e-mail service, it was doubtful you were infected, but it was best to be sure anyways....

[CrazyM]

-{ Quote: "It's my email account on aol" }-
-{ Quote: "I contacted aol about this and changed my password and I am going to contact there fraud dept.That was their suggestion." }-
I trust you followed best practice for a good/tough new password ;)
Just monitor the account closely for the next while and follow up with their suggestion.

Regards,

CrazyM

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Hi rita,

It looks like you have done all you can do. I am glad your system is clean. There is one other possibility and that is someome that you have e-mailed has stored your address in their address book and they are infected. But you have done all the right things. You have verified your system is clean and have changed your password after notifying the correct authorities. Since you use a web based e-mail service, it was doubtful you were infected, but it was best to be sure anyways...." }-
Thanks for all your help Kent,I sure appreciate it!

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "I trust you followed best practice for a good/tough new password ;)
Just monitor the account closely for the next while and follow up with their suggestion.

Regards,

CrazyM" }-
thank you CrazyM
I will monitor it very closely for sure now.

[Bubba]

-{ Quote: "So in the Best interests of those in Real Need why do u say ( it is best 2 become a spectator ) if some1 Could or Can assist. I dont understand your motives 4 this statement, as it doesnt seem 2 help those in Genuine Need !" }-Sure it helps those in need and Perhaps it would help if you re-read my post. I simply fed off your comment...."And the More ppl who can provide Positive +"....which implies to me a bunch of folks.

After a few members show up to assist it is best....IMHO....if others become spectators....which then helps "those in Genuine Need"

You and I simply have a difference of opinion and I erred by not making my opinion known to you via an IM....so as not to take the discussion off topic.

[LowWaterMark]

Spanner, you are over reacting on the comments above, and as a consequence this thread keeps going further and further off topic which is not helping the original poster.

Bubba's comment simply goes back to the old saying that "Too many cooks spoil the broth." That's all. And it is true. Yes, while all good advice is welcomed, when too many people start giving advice at the same time it can get messy and confusing. That's all this meant. I also am not saying that happened in this thread, but now this has turned into an off topic debate of who, what, where and how many can post replies...

People - there is no need to make so big a debate over this, so let's just leave it.

[Bubba]

-{ Quote: "Because i'm afraid a Lot of potentially Really Genuine help from some ppl will now Not be given as ppl will wonder if u or other Mods r going 2 say negative things 2 them 2 put them off. And that Wont help Any1 @ all will it ?" }-As I said earlier....and this will be my final reply in this thread....I should have shared my opinion to you via an IM.

As for the above quote....you are intitled to your opinion....but factually it's way off from reality IMHO....and it was never my purpose to put a number on how many is too many and it's also silly to imply Wilders would have a cut off. Also....my post above was not as a Mod but as Member that has always had the user in mind when attempting to help and the one way I help sometimes is to be a spectator when a few qualified posters have showed up....nothing more nothing less.

Other than that,
Happy New Year Spanner

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "I will monitor it very closely for sure now." }-Hi Ritaann, you have done the right thing by confirming that your system is clean and now monitoring the situation. The following is part of a document that we send to customers when they purchase Anti-virus software and we have secured their computer.


Safe Practices / Viruses / Hoaxes etc


1. Viruses and Anti-virus Programs

Update your Anti-virus program. As it can only protect you from what it knows about. New viruses are written, distributed and found daily, it is very important for you to update and check that your Anti-virus program is being updated regularly. We advise that at least once a day you check and know for sure that it is actually up-to-date, just to be sure, it is a man-made program and one day it will fail, you DO NOT want to find out there was a problem with updating 3 months ago. This is just an additional security step to make it that little bit safer.

Use your Anti-virus program to scan EVERY new file that you download from the internet, or that you place into your computer by disk or other means. Make a routine WEEKLY scan of your computer.

NO ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAM IS PERFECT, nor can it compensate for: UNSAFE SOFTWARE PRACTICES.

No anti-virus program will ever detect all viruses all the time; viruses are being written and distributed daily.

PRACTICE SAFE COMPUTING; be cautious when opening files. DO NOT OPEN obvious file extensions typically used by viruses and sent by email to you, such as .pif .scr .bat

Have you ever heard or said, “I only ever open attachments from people I know”, well this is one of the best ways to receive a virus, the infected email more than likely has NOT been sent by your friend, their email address has been harvested by a virus and the virus is sending emails as though it is coming from your friend.

Never open software from "warez" sites or “peer-to-peer” programs like Kazaa until they have been scanned with a fully up-to-date Anti-virus program.

Pay attention to files with multiple extensions. Generally, the last extension is the relevant one. For example, a file named song.mp3.exe is an executable program (.exe) and not an MP3 file.

Note, however, that if you are using Outlook Express and see a file with three extensions, Outlook Express may consider the second extension to be relevant, so that a file named song.mp3.exe.jpg is an executable program (.exe), it is neither an MP3 file nor a JPG file.



2. Did you send a Virus?

If you get an email returned (bounced back) saying that “your email was undeliverable”, and you didn't send it, and more than likely you have never heard of the person, don't worry about it, you did NOT send it.

Usually what happens is a virus on an infected computer sends emails, from email addresses found on that computer. The addresses come from such things as “Forwards”, where people don’t remove the previous email address(s), this can be seen when an email arrives and you can see who the email has come from and/or who it is going to, usually a very big list of people. The virus on the infected computer then picks one email address to be the fake sender, and sends copies of itself (the virus) to other email addresses found on the same infected computer, as though it was coming from you.

Understand this VERY CLEARLY; You have NOT sent the infected email, a virus on an infected computer has harvested and used your email address as the sending address, to forward infected emails.

The virus or Trojan didn't use the real email address of the computer's owner because any undeliverable email that bounced directly back to that computer would tip the owner that they had a problem.

Again, to be clear, it is extremely unlikely your computer has sent the email, so long as you have followed and maintained good sensible and safe security practices.



3. Hoaxes

Don’t pay attention to virus warnings unless you subscribe to an anti-virus companies newsletter and know for sure that the warning is authentic, and please do NOT forward the “so called warnings”.

Most so called virus warnings are HOAXES and usually try to have you action something where part or ALL of your operating system is disabled. The other reason they are sent is to see how fast they can spread panic around the globe, don’t partake in these “Chicken Little” instances, THE SKY IS NOT FALLING.



4. Privacy

Never use the "Unsubscribe" feature of spam emails

Never reply to spam mails, in doing so you confirm the validity of your email address and the spammer can keep on sending you unsolicited commercial email (spam), which you don't want.

The proper way to deal with spam is to delete it.

Never select the option available on web browsers for storing or retaining user name and password.

Never disclose personal, financial, or credit card information to little-known or suspect web sites.

Never use a computer or a device that cannot be fully trusted.

Never use public or Internet café computers to access online financial services accounts or perform financial transactions.



Hope this helps...

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

Blackspear
Thank you for all the helpful info.aol thinks someone,somehow fraudntly used my email address to send spam emails-there were about 250 sent from my email address that i didnt send!I changed my password and reported it to aol's fraud dept.So far no more have been sent.I am watching closely now.thank you for your post!

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "Blackspear
Thank you for all the helpful info.aol thinks someone,somehow fraudntly used my email address to send spam emails-there were about 250 sent from my email address that i didnt send!I changed my password and reported it to aol's fraud dept.So far no more have been sent.I am watching closely now.thank you for your post!" }-It sounds like you have been hacked, do you run a good firewall? You aren't running a proxy are you? I have seen a proxy set up that was not secure and several thousand emails were sent.

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

Blackspear
I have sygate firewall.I've always liked it.I have Panda platium av which also has a firewall but I have the firewall disabled.In your opinion which firewall is best--sygate or panda?

[mercurie]

Fellow Creatures if I have missed this in this thread I'm sorry.

After we are sure Ritaann's problem is cured, I would like the members to offer their thoughts on how this may have happened. This is the kind of nightmare that really concerns me. My prevention thinking on this is I have several email boxes each with a different level of security as to who gets to know about it. (All are set with defaults set by Comcast webmail). For example business box has the tightest security level, only need to know. Newsletters etc. not really very tight and so on. Of course random email selection guessing programs to spam folks; this method may not offer much protection.

My goal here is to see if the community can offer some prevention ideas.

It sounds as if things are getting better for her already. :)

[Notok]

I was under the impression that spammers will sometimese just use other's emaill addresses to make the emails seem more legitimate (until you open them), is this not true? If that's the case, prevention would be following the standard measures taken to not get spam in the first place.. don't give your real email address out to companies- use TrashMail.net or SpamGourmet.com, etc.

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Fellow Creatures if I have missed this in this thread I'm sorry.

After we are sure Ritaann's problem is cured, I would like the members to offer their thoughts on how this may have happened. This is the kind of nightmare that really concerns me. My prevention thinking on this is I have several email boxes each with a different level of security as to who gets to know about it. (All are set with defaults set by Comcast webmail). For example business box has the tightest security level, only need to know. Newsletters etc. not really very tight and so on. Of course random email selection guessing programs to spam folks; this method may not offer much protection.

My goal here is to see if the community can offer some prevention ideas.

It sounds as if things are getting better for her already. :)" }-
Hello Mercurie
Yes,I believe my problem may be cured.no more emails have been sent from my email address since I changed my password etc.I' watching very closely now,before I rarely looked in my sent folder because i dont send many emails and I'd only delete them maybe once a month.When i started getting a few emails that were undelieverable (which I hadnt sent)I contacted aol about them and ask why I would be getting them since I didnt send the mail in the first place.Thats when they ask me to check my sent mail folder and see if there was any in it I hadnt sent.sure enough there were about 250.all the same email sent to 250 different people.I feel so dumb because i didnt even think about checking my sent folder when i got the mailer dameon emails about the ones that couldnt be delievered,I just didnt think to do it--stupid i guess.I learn something new every day and some of it the hard way!I was so paniced yesterday!One thing i wonder is why they didnt send one to everyone in my address book also.?I'm glad they didnt.I would have been mortified if everyone i know had received one.It's bad enough that all those people i didnt know received one and think I sent them!I hope it's over.I feel it is anyway.

[Primrose]

-{ Quote: "Blackspear
I have sygate firewall.I've always liked it.I have Panda platium av which also has a firewall but I have the firewall disabled.In your opinion which firewall is best--sygate or panda?" }-


Before i made my first post in your thread here..I already knew you used Sygate. ;)

But i was wondering ritaann if this every happened to you again...or was it just that one time?
see here
http://forums.speedguide.net/archive/index.php/t-149386.html

Sygate is a good fire wall if you understand how it works and have set it up for your needs.

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "I was under the impression that spammers will sometimese just use other's emaill addresses to make the emails seem more legitimate (until you open them), is this not true? If that's the case, prevention would be following the standard measures taken to not get spam in the first place.. don't give your real email address out to companies- use TrashMail.net or SpamGourmet.com, etc." }-
Hi Notok
These people didnt just use my email address,they accessed my email account some way.When opened they were like i had sent them.I dont know how they done it.I dont understand how it could have happened.I never ever give out my password!also I have a firewall etc.Of course i really dont understand anything much about this sort of thing or how it happened.I do know I've done everything i know to do, to be safe.but it happened with doing all i know to do.I sure hope it's over and wont happen again.

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Before i made my first post in your thread here..I already knew you used Sygate. ;)

But i was wondering ritaann if this every happened to you again...or was it just that one time?
see here
http://forums.speedguide.net/archive/index.php/t-149386.html

Sygate is a good fire wall if you understand how it works and have set it up for your needs." }-
Hi Primrose
just the one time,havent had any more port scans.I do like sygate.

[Don Pelotas]

-{ Quote: "Blackspear
I have sygate firewall.I've always liked it.I have Panda platium av which also has a firewall but I have the firewall disabled.In your opinion which firewall is best--sygate or panda?" }-
Hi ritaann

I believe Panda's firewall is a rebadge Sygate link (http://www.sygate.com/partners/strategic_partners.htm) (please correct me someone, if i'm mistaken), so perhaps Panda's firewall is the pro version of Sygate. If you are using the free Sygate there might be a bit more protection in the Panda av/fw combo.

Anyway i'm glad your problem seems to be fixed, lets hope it stays that way. :)

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Hi ritaann

I believe Panda's firewall is a rebadge Sygate link (http://www.sygate.com/partners/strategic_partners.htm) (please correct me someone, if i'm mistaken), so perhaps Panda's firewall is the pro version of Sygate. If you are using the free Sygate there might be a bit more protection in the Panda av/fw combo.

Anyway i'm glad your problem seems to be fixed, lets hope it stays that way. :)" }-
Hi Don
You may be right.The link says it's a partner.I have never even looked at Panda's firewall included with the av.I already had sygate firewall when I got Panda and liked it.I thinkI'll go take a look.If it is the same it may be a bit better version like you said.Ihope my problem is fixed.I feel it is but what do I know--not much.Thanks Don

[Blackspear]

Ritaann, can you download Port Explorer from DCS and see if you have an open port.

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Ritaann, can you download Port Explorer from DCS and see if you have an open port.

Cheers ;D" }-
ok I'll do that and post back--thanks

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "ok I'll do that and post back--thanks" }-I'm going down this line because someone has had physical access to your computer, in that they have actually used your email client to send emails, and a copy of those emails was in your sent items folder. So in order to do this there has to be an open port, or a proxy program was/has been used to share the internet between your computer and another in your house, and this has been done leaving open ports.

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "I'm going down this line because someone has had physical access to your computer, in that they have actually used your email client to send emails, and a copy of those emails was in your sent items folder. So in order to do this there has to be an open port, or a proxy program was/has been used to share the internet between your computer and another in your house, and this has been done leaving open ports.

Cheers ;D" }-
I'm downloading port explorer now and i did scan on shields up too--here are results from there

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "I'm downloading port explorer now and i did scan on shields up too--here are results from there" }-Do your Anti-virus logs show any Trojans or Worms around the same time as the emails being sent?

Can you post a list of the security that you are using.

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Do your Anti-virus logs show any Trojans or Worms around the same time as the emails being sent?

Can you post a list of the security that you are using.

Cheers ;D" }-
no,the logs show nothing. as far as I know I've never had a virus or trogan.I run the av scan about twice a week.I'm using panda platium av,ewido,sygate firewall,have adware se,spyware blaster,giant,spyware guard and spybot S&D,winpatrol and aol spyware protection.I update them all regularly.Plus I have wormguard too.

[Blackspear]

Here's one that was just brought to my attention, and why I didn't think of it pfffffht, as I use the same for a hotmail account, do you have your web-based email account brought in through a email client on your PC and synchronized this way?

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

blackspear
I have an aol email account.

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "no,the logs show nothing. as far as I know I've never had a virus or trogan.I run the av scan about twice a week.I'm using panda platium av,ewido,sygate firewall,have adware se,spyware blaster,giant,spyware guard and spybot S&D,winpatrol and aol spyware protection.I update them all regularly.Plus I have wormguard too." }-You are safe and secure Ritaann, LowWaterMark just filled me in on how AOL handles its email, and it is all web-based, and as such there is little you can do other than change your password and check the security of your computer, both of which you have completed.

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "You are safe and secure Ritaann, LowWaterMark just filled me in on how AOL handles its email, and it is all web-based, and as such there is little you can do other than change your password and check the security of your computer, both of which you have completed.

Cheers ;D" }-
Good to know that i've done everything i can to be safe.I will from now on check my sent email folder every day though!Thank you for your help Blackspear :)

[CrazyM]

Hi ritaann

Something worth looking at and considering that may help with passwords: Password Safe (http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/).

Regards,

CrazyM

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Hi ritaann

Something worth looking at and considering that may help with passwords: Password Safe (http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/).

Regards,

CrazyM" }-
thanks CrazyM
sounds like a good program sincePassword Safe is a tool that allows you to have a different password for all the different programs and websites that you deal with, without actually having to remember all those usernames and passwords. That sounds like something I need, since its such a chore to try and remember a bunch of different ones.Thanks for the link.

[Blackspear]

Another good little program for generating passwords is Keymaker 2.0

http://www.itoolpad.com/products/keymaker/

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "Another good little program for generating passwords is Keymaker 2.0

http://www.itoolpad.com/products/keymaker/

Cheers ;D" }-
thanks for the link Blackspear!

I downloaded it and really like this prog.It's easy to use ,a big plus in my case ;D

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "thanks for the link Blackspear!" }-My pleasure Ritaann, with that program you can use the first part of a website and a secret word (I have used the word “vegemite” in the following examples) to generate a password, i.e.

hotmail vegemite

wilders vegemite

aol vegemite

It is best to use at least 2 of the symbols found above 1 to 0 on your keyboard, this strengthens the password incredibly (as per screen shot).

Cheers ;D

[Rita]

-{ Quote: "My pleasure Ritaann, with that program you can use the first part of a website and a secret word (I have used the word “vegemite” in the following examples) to generate a password, i.e.

hotmail vegemite

wilders vegemite

aol vegemite

It is best to use at least 2 of the symbols found above 1 to 0 on your keyboard, this strengthens the password incredibly (as per screen shot).

Cheers ;D" }-
it's just what i needed!great prog.