My email was compromised

[KABAR2]

If anyone that I have talked to with my Hotmail account KABAR2*hotmail.com it was compromised earlier today I caught it about 20 min. after they hacked it as it emailed my work email......and I knew I didn't email myself anything..... I have toughened up the password so there should be no more odd emails going out...

[Graybeard]

I think it unlikely anyone "hacked" an individual's computer. What most likely happened is your antivirus and/or anti malware program failed you or you it. Dunno what kinda AV/AM programs you have but I'd make sure they are up to date and that they are up to the job. Then run scans, your computer is almost certainly infected.

I dare say that at any moment prolly 25% to 50% of computers with internet connectivity are infected with something. Yeah I made those numbers up but heck it sounds about right to me.

[KABAR2]

The hotmail account is an online free standing account... it is not on my computer someone was able to figure out my password and use the account to send emails out to those in my addressbook it was caught early because I have my work email at the begining of the address book so when I recieved an email from myself that I didn't send I knew someone else was using my account.... once I changed the passwork they were locked out of the account no more emails sent.... so this was not a virus or malware.

[ironglow]

  I don't know how it works but 2 people I know had their E-mail hacked somehow, so there was trash mail (mostly advertisments) sent out as if from their e-mail and endorsed by them.  I know, because I received some of the junk..they later told me they didn't send anything like that.  I had already figured that out, since the advertisments were quite obviously, nothing they were interested in.

[flagman1776]

I think this happens at the server level a lot...  where hackers guess passwords or use dictionary attacks or other means to get in.  It happened to me too.  My machine was clean & I was lucky enough to regain access.  I also cross my address books & include a discontinued address so that spam will be identified & I'll see the bounce back from the discontinued address. 
Imagine if these hackers chose to do good with their skills.

[KABAR2]

I have about 10 years of email contacts in my address book.... it was amazing how many of these were no longer active.... about 40 of them during the 20 min.s they had access and when I caught it.... It does tell me I need to clean up my address book up...