OUTLOOK or Server virus or cache files replaced??

[Anon y mous]

This morning I was looking through some email archives- and found an email
from an associate that I know a month ago when he sent me the email- it had
a picture included of a cartoon character- that even a child could view.

This AM when I opened it up- or should I say scrolled through it with
preview mode on- I found a gross disgusting picture I never saw before that
I would not even would want to describe- it was even beyond porno- if there
is such a thing.

I know this was not there before when I read this email the first time.

I called my friend-he is not on the company server- he does not seem to
have this offending image on his computer- can't seem to find the message in
his computer.

My question is- could cutting and pasting an image from the internet
(contain a worm or virus and change the picture over time)....or insert
somethign on its own or is it more likely that a virus is in the computer??

or- yet- is someone at night surfing gross web sites and populating server
internet caches with other images for some common image filename- to which
my message got replaced with this other image- overwriting the first image
with the later offending image?

I guess I do not understand how this happened and am now very reluctant to
send copies of technical images (graphs and charts) in emails- wondering if
this is some sort of virus, worm, or its just a temp/cache glich.... etc.

Can anyone advise what this might be? I searched the server for jpg files-
could not seem to find anything- but did not have time to view every
picture- just went looking for caches or temp internet directories....

I appreciate any input/advice.... I don't want my company to have something
embarrassing going out from anyone- or even receiving the same- (as I appear
to have- later showing up in stored email- not offending when first read).

And before the nasty comments about stopping porno surfing- I dont... I only
use my computers for professional stuff- (and this image was nothing I
would care to bring up in my own home- let alone work) I don't get any spam
or phishing emails... our norton definitions are all up-to-date on the
server... i have passworded my work computer so no one can access my system
at night....etc.

Thanks

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

This morning I was looking through some email archives- and found an email
from an associate that I know a month ago when he sent me the email- it had
a picture included of a cartoon character- that even a child could view.

This AM when I opened it up- or should I say scrolled through it with
preview mode on- I found a gross disgusting picture I never saw before that
I would not even would want to describe- it was even beyond porno- if there
is such a thing.

One thing you didn't mention: was this image attached to the email
(and thus downloaded to your computer), or was it a link to an image
somewhere on the web? You may have to view source to be sure.

Were you connected when you opened it today?

 

[Anon y mous]

It was embedded as an image file- not a link..... replaced in the original
email.

not sure if the message was in rich text format or html format.

thanks

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

It was embedded as an image file- not a link..... replaced in the
original email.

Then it should be able to be saved out to a folder somewhere. Try it
and see if you get the original picture, or the nasty one.

not sure if the message was in rich text format or html format.

Viewing source will tell you immediately.

I don't know of any way an embedded image file could change, once
received, unless some new malware is doing it. Time for the usual scans?

 

[Anon y mous]

I deleted the offending email immediately. Wrong reaction I guess. I will
look through more retained mail to see if there are other instances. If it
were malware- I would think it would be more prevalent- which led to my
thoughts about caches and/or temp internet files- but I am not an outlook
expert- and how images are stored in the files. our server did get newly
installed recently and my email was corrupt- I do however beleive the
installation and restoratiom of older emails was before this email was sent,
so I believe the switch happened after the server upgrade and email
restorations, but I could be wrong-

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

I deleted the offending email immediately. Wrong reaction I guess.

...if you want to investigate further, yes.

I will look through more retained mail to see if there are other
instances. If it were malware- I would think it would be more
prevalent- which led to my thoughts about caches and/or temp
internet files- but I am not an outlook expert- and how images are
stored in the files. our server

Server? Is the mail not stored on your computer?

did get newly installed recently and my email was corrupt- I do
however beleive the installation and restoratiom of older emails
was before this email was sent, so I believe the switch happened
after the server upgrade and email restorations, but I could be
wrong-

If in fact the mail is stored on a server (are we in an office
environment here?), go ask the IT people. <g>