But you can send email from over 1000 accounts via 1 computer. So while yes their are botnets to spam email, many people would rather steal your password and you not know your infected so they can keep steeling your password, then use it on a different computer to actually send out the emails. When your computer is botted its virtually useless. People would realize they were infected when they couldn't do anything on it anymore. So as for the NFL one they were better off just planting the virus and stealing your pass, then using a different bot to actually send out the emails.

I think you need to look at some websites. Wikipedia, for example, on the E-mail Spam article:

Botnets, networks of virus-infected computers, are used to send about 80% of spam.

 

But not the wrong websites. This is how you zombie a computer.

 

I think you need to look at some websites. Wikipedia, for example, on the E-mail Spam article:

I know what your saying and that I agree with you. 80% of all spam does come from a form of botnet. But there are a couple issues that I'm adding to that. Many other virus's just steal your passwords and info and don't "bot" your computer up because then you will realize something is wrong. These will lay and wait to activate as a bot, try to get your CC info and log your keystrokes, to as trivial as logging the pron site you goto. Many are harmless and just want stupid data you wouldn't care about anyways for marketing purposes. My main point is that all these virus's don't automatically turn your computer into a bot, but some do. I think the guys that did the NFL virus were pretty stupid. The did the emails locally and even used the persons add book to send the emails too, So everyone knew they were infected the next day getting calls they were sending viagra adds. Where if they were smarter they woulda stolen the password, then laid dormant mass emailing from computer to computer, and logging the address books and sending the emails from a different address so the reciever doesn't know the guy who sent it, so in turn he turns around and gets rid of it.

 

Is it possible to steal my email pass with a virus program installed. I am using ESET

 

Is it possible to steal my email pass with a virus program installed. I am using ESET

Yes. Don't rely on just your virus protection.

 

So what could one rely on?

 

Be sure to use Malware/Spyware software also.. As these are major culprits to password theft.

The main way is STILL social engineering.

Like fake PayPal login pages etc.. You think your at paypal.com, but you are actually ay paypa.l.com or somethin like that.

The bad guys download the paypal login screen and edit it to save your password and username when you input it.

I use OPERA, a quite good and quite fast web browser that has automatic Phishing filter as well as blacklisted site checking.

It has alerted me once or twice.

 

The best, and worst, detection device lies between your ears.

Exercise due dilligence when doing anything on the internet.

 

So what could one rely on?

Rely on your intelligence. It hasn't gone wrong for me so far. (I run Ubuntu, but I'm vigilant anyway, and I manage some Windows systems too.)

 

Rely on Kaspersky. I've tried em all and have made a small fortune deporning peoples computeres. Was bringing in around $300 a week charging $40 for a back up, and reformat. Then I bought a bunch of Kaspersky keys off ebay and killed my business. Everyone I sold a $10 Kaspersky key too I didn't see again. Should left em with AVG, Norton, and Macafee. Then they all needed about 3-4 formats a year.