Passing on email virus?

[Peter Franks]

I'm pretty savvy with emails and not opening anything I don't know, Never opened an attachment from anyone I don't know work wise etc. But today somebody on Windows said every time I email them my Mac is sending a virus, and is being blocked by Norton, he did say something about it telling them it's phishing etc... which i thought was different to a virus. Could I have picked anything up without knowing?

How do I know if it is and what can I do to check why? Obviously, nothing seems different to me on here?

 

[miles01110]

Why don't you ask your colleague to show you a screen shot of what's being blocked.

 

[GGJstudios]

But today somebody on Windows said every time I email them my Mac is sending a virus, and is being blocked by Norton, he did say something about it telling them it's phishing etc... which i thought was different to a virus. Could I have picked anything up without knowing?

How do I know if it is and what can I do to check why? Obviously, nothing seems different to me on here?

I agree with miles01110: have the person give you more details. The only way you can send malware to a Windows user is if you first get it from another Windows user and forward it. You can't create Windows malware on your Mac. Since they mentioned phishing, it sounds more like spam, which may have occurred because your email account was either hacked or spoofed.

 

[chrono1081]

Why don't you ask your colleague to show you a screen shot of what's being blocked.

I agree with miles01110: have the person give you more details. The only way you can send malware to a Windows user is if you first get it from another Windows user and forward it. You can't create Windows malware on your Mac. Since they mentioned phishing, it sounds more like spam, which may have occurred because your email account was either hacked or spoofed.

This to both of the above posts.

That being said Norton is 100% terrible and useless. Not only does it rarely catch a real virus but its also loaded with false positives. I'd be willing to bet its nothing.

I have 15 years experience with Norton and 12 with Symantec, I can easily tell you its a shoddy product. Even Symantec's corporate support can't figure out why they never catch anything.

 

[Tumbleweed666]

Are these emails that you are genuinely sending, or does he think you are sending emails that you aren't?

If its the latter, then as another poster said, a spammer has picked up your email address and is sending out emails purportedly from you.YOu should chnage your email password as a precaution.

If the former, which from what you write seems more likely, then Norton is simply producing false positives , e.g. its reporting an error when there is none.

It may be something as simple as your sig containing a picture it doesn't like, it may be your friend at some point accidentally told Norton one of your emails was spam.

He should be able to click on the message and indicate its not phishing, thus stopping this happening in future, so a third possibility, since he hasn't had the wit to do this, is that its all finger trouble with your friend.

 

[Peter Franks]

Thanks all, the person receiving wouldn't know a screen grab, if they fell over one. So I can't get a copy from him, I wish I could, I'm very curious now

No, not emails that I don't know are being sent, these are proper emails I've sent him. There is no pic in my signature, just a weblink and privacy notice.

I do agree with the fact Norton are rubbish. I suffered them for years as an ex Windows user, like most of us and had a terrible time with them, till I got rid. The worst part is 99% of all Win products came with that junk, but he said it happens every mail i send him so am at a loss