If you install zone alarm from www.zonealarm.com you can lock down the system's access to the internet and to the Lan I believe.  There's a free version so you're not out the bucks at least for a quick demo.  And it may help you track down the offending program.  You may want to do a search for opt-out.  It's a spyware detection program to find programs that are trying to phone home with information.  Though Zone-alarm will stop the pings.  It sounds like she may have got infected with a trogan but I can't swear to it.   Just try this and I'll try to check back later it I can to help ya.