Issue 10.12
I want to encourage everyone to take a few minutes to actually open and run a scan with their anti-virus program. There is a new virus spreading through the internet that disables AV programs without making it obvious and then redirects your internet requests (what you type in is not necessarily where you end up going). It also disables your ability to go on the internet if their virus is removed. I have had to repair a number of computers infected with this virus recently and, because, as long as the virus is running, your computer seems to be okay – just quirky – most people don’t know they are infected until they try to use their anti-virus.
I usually don’t do this, but today I am going to quote (with permission of course) an article recently posted in the Deseret News by author Geoff Liesik. I believe it important to know about this.
“In November, the FBI and police in Estonia wrapped up Operation Ghost Click, which resulted in the arrest and indictment of six Estonian nationals. The group had compromised millions of computers around the world with a bug known as DNSChanger.
The malicious software — known in the industry as malware — changed the Domain Name Server, or DNS, for a targeted website, redirecting Internet users from the sites they were seeking to other sites. Federal authorities say the Estonians sent Web surfers to these ghost sites, which featured specific advertisements, then collected an estimated $16 million from the advertisers for the extra Web traffic.
DNSChanger also shut down antivirus software on infected machines, exposing them to the potential for additional harm.
The FBI took the group’s servers offline. The bureau then obtained a court order to set up “clean servers” as a means of keeping individual users, companies and government agencies with infected computers from immediately losing access to the Internet.
But the court order is set to expire March 8, and there is still a large number of infected computers, many in the United States.”
I want to remind everyone. If you didn’t ask for it, don’t click on it! Especially avoid pop-up ads and links in emails supposedly from your bank, Credit Company or stores you do business with. If you are worried, type in the website address rather than clicking on the link. And as always, remember to back up anything important to you.
Shaun McCausland has worked in the computer industry for over 30 years, 20 years of it locally with Bits ‘N’ Bytes and Musicomp and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions you can reach him at 435-668-7118 or through his website at www.bitsnbytescomputers.com.