Computer virus

My ex-girlfriend's work computer has been infected. I only know this because this virus is trying to propagate itself through her MSN Messenger contact list, and it tried to "contact" me.

We haven't really "talked" much after our breakup, so naturally I was suspicious when I received a send file (photo.zip) request from her Messenger, along with the following message in IM:

Hey just finished new myspace album! :) theres a few kinky ones in there!

Given that I'm her ex-boyfriend, there were only two possible explanations for such a message:

1. She meant to send the message and file to someone else, but accidentally sent them to me, instead.
2. It's a virus.

Not that I would mind if she did want to send me "kinky" pictures, but obviously a virus is the much more likely scenario. So I accepted the file, then had Symantec AntiVirus scan it when the transfer was complete. It didn't find anything.

Opened up the zip file, and sure enough, it had the tell-tale sign of being a virus: A command file (.com) thinly disguised as a JPEG.


So I IM'd her about the virus. But apparently she does not have administrative access to her computer at work, so her virus removal options are quite limited. I also remember her telling me while we were going out that she was not supposed to install any IM software, so that's probably preventing her from getting their office tech to fix it for her, since I still got a random message from her Messenger earlier today, although it didn't try to send me any files.