OTT _wowexec.exe

Hi All
Sorry about being OTT.
One of my users had _wowexec.exe appearing in their running tasks. They also
experience the Programm access mailbox allow for 1,2,5 or 10 minutes
notification every time they open a new email to send.
We have run Spysweeper which has cleaned a few cookies off, and seems to
have got rid of the _wowexec.exe. However the email notfication is still
there.
Has anyone any idea of what this may be?
Thanks
Lewej

Dave
Thu Oct 14 18:07:36 CDT 2004

The user is getting the Outlook security warning when trying to send a
message from Outlook? In that case, I'd continue down the
virus/trojan/spyware path you're already on. As you probably know, that
warning pops up when an external program is trying to access the address
book, and Outlook should not trigger it. I'd be looking to see if there's a
remnant of whatever installed the _wowexec process, or a second problem of a
similar nature.

Another thing you could do is check for suspicious COM add-ins in Outlook.
I'm not sure there's any malware COM stuff, but you could check in
tools/options/other/advanced/com add-ins. You might not have anything in
there, and in any case nothing you don't recognize.

A google search indicates that _wowexec is spyware-related (wowexec without
the leading underscore is a process that lets 16-bit apps run on 32-bit
Windows).


"Lewej" <Lewej@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CE5BA977-96EA-489E-901D-8A4DFBE74E05@microsoft.com...
> Hi All
> Sorry about being OTT.
> One of my users had _wowexec.exe appearing in their running tasks. They
> also
> experience the Programm access mailbox allow for 1,2,5 or 10 minutes
> notification every time they open a new email to send.
> We have run Spysweeper which has cleaned a few cookies off, and seems to
> have got rid of the _wowexec.exe. However the email notfication is still
> there.
> Has anyone any idea of what this may be?
> Thanks
> Lewej

Lewej
Fri Oct 15 03:39:04 CDT 2004

Hi Dabe
Thanks for answering. I was panicked last night and now have found that the
program trying to access Outlook was adobe writer!! I did remove the
_wowoexec.exe from running tasks and cleared it off with spyware and it all
seem OK now.
Chjeers
Lewej

"Dave Nickason [SBS MVP]" wrote:

> The user is getting the Outlook security warning when trying to send a
> message from Outlook? In that case, I'd continue down the
> virus/trojan/spyware path you're already on. As you probably know, that
> warning pops up when an external program is trying to access the address
> book, and Outlook should not trigger it. I'd be looking to see if there's a
> remnant of whatever installed the _wowexec process, or a second problem of a
> similar nature.
>
> Another thing you could do is check for suspicious COM add-ins in Outlook.
> I'm not sure there's any malware COM stuff, but you could check in
> tools/options/other/advanced/com add-ins. You might not have anything in
> there, and in any case nothing you don't recognize.
>
> A google search indicates that _wowexec is spyware-related (wowexec without
> the leading underscore is a process that lets 16-bit apps run on 32-bit
> Windows).
>
>
> "Lewej" <Lewej@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CE5BA977-96EA-489E-901D-8A4DFBE74E05@microsoft.com...
> > Hi All
> > Sorry about being OTT.
> > One of my users had _wowexec.exe appearing in their running tasks. They
> > also
> > experience the Programm access mailbox allow for 1,2,5 or 10 minutes
> > notification every time they open a new email to send.
> > We have run Spysweeper which has cleaned a few cookies off, and seems to
> > have got rid of the _wowexec.exe. However the email notfication is still
> > there.
> > Has anyone any idea of what this may be?
> > Thanks
> > Lewej
>
>
>

Steve
Fri Oct 15 04:58:58 CDT 2004

Lewej wrote:

> Hi Dabe
> Thanks for answering. I was panicked last night and now have found
> that the program trying to access Outlook was adobe writer!! I did
> remove the _wowoexec.exe from running tasks and cleared it off with
> spyware and it all seem OK now.

wowexec.exe is part of Windows. It's the 16-bit subsystem (wow stands
for Windows on Windows) for old 16-bit applications.

--
Steve Foster [SBS MVP]
---------------------------------------
MVPs do not work for Microsoft. Please reply only to the newsgroups.

Mike
Fri Oct 15 05:58:37 CDT 2004

Steve Foster [SBS MVP] wrote:
> Lewej wrote:

>> Thanks for answering. I was panicked last night and now have found
>> that the program trying to access Outlook was adobe writer!! I did
>> remove the _wowoexec.exe from running tasks and cleared it off with
>> spyware and it all seem OK now.
>
> wowexec.exe is part of Windows. It's the 16-bit subsystem (wow stands
> for Windows on Windows) for old 16-bit applications.

In other words, try to upgrade the old software thats causing it!

Its nearly 10 years since 32bit code was added to windows,
and 16bit code made largely obsolete...

--
Mike

Lewej
Fri Oct 15 07:57:02 CDT 2004

Hi Guys

It was _wowexec.exe not wowexec.exe. It was some form of spyware.

The Adobe fix is on page
http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ol2002sp3.htm#problems

Cheers

Lewej




"Mike Redrobe" wrote:

> Steve Foster [SBS MVP] wrote:
> > Lewej wrote:
>
> >> Thanks for answering. I was panicked last night and now have found
> >> that the program trying to access Outlook was adobe writer!! I did
> >> remove the _wowoexec.exe from running tasks and cleared it off with
> >> spyware and it all seem OK now.
> >
> > wowexec.exe is part of Windows. It's the 16-bit subsystem (wow stands
> > for Windows on Windows) for old 16-bit applications.
>
> In other words, try to upgrade the old software thats causing it!
>
> Its nearly 10 years since 32bit code was added to windows,
> and 16bit code made largely obsolete...
>
> --
> Mike
>
>
>