Hundreds of Thousands May Lose Internet in July

[Cyclonepride]

"FBI officials said they organized an unusual system to avoid any appearance of government intrusion into the Internet or private computers. And while this is the first time the FBI used it, it won't be the last.

"This is the future of what we will be doing," said Eric Strom, a unit chief in the FBI's Cyber Division. "Until there is a change in legal system, both inside and outside the United States, to get up to speed with the cyber problem, we will have to go down these paths, trail-blazing if you will, on these types of investigations.""

Thanks, but no thanks. They're upset that they can't intrude on privacy on their own, so they're offering us the chance to volunteer for intrusion. I'll take my chances.

[iowa_wildcat]

CtownCyclone and I are losing an equal amount of sleep over this threat. Linux users just laugh and wonder why everyone has their Windows wide open.

[wolverine68]

"FBI officials said they organized an unusual system to avoid any appearance of government intrusion into the Internet or private computers. And while this is the first time the FBI used it, it won't be the last.

"This is the future of what we will be doing," said Eric Strom, a unit chief in the FBI's Cyber Division. "Until there is a change in legal system, both inside and outside the United States, to get up to speed with the cyber problem, we will have to go down these paths, trail-blazing if you will, on these types of investigations.""

Thanks, but no thanks. They're upset that they can't intrude on privacy on their own, so they're offering us the chance to volunteer for intrusion. I'll take my chances.

The website that you use to check for the virus doesn't scan your computer. You are directed to a link, if that link sends you to a site with a green background, your computer is fine. If you see a red background, that means the virus has been redirecting your browser.
Again, there is no scan of your computer.

[clones26]

good thing i have a smart phone, jokes on you Estonia

[Amesboy]

Don't use Internet Explorer and download and run Malwarebytes free version. If you do use IE or whatever browser have a good antivirus program or security suite like top rated Norton 360/Internet Security Suite. Some free ones out there too from AVG, Avast and Comodo.

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[iahawkhunter]

CtownCyclone and I are losing an equal amount of sleep over this threat. Linux users just laugh and wonder why everyone has their Windows wide open.

To be fair, Linux users' computers aren't necessarily more secure than Windows. We just comprise a much smaller demographic and get "security" through being a smaller fish in the pond. Mac users thought they were pretty safe until recently for the same reasons.

Internet security has more to do with the user than with the OS or software.

[iowa_wildcat]

iahawkhunter speaks the truth. Sometimes, it is wonderful to be in a very small segment of internet users. There are so few Linux users that we are not normally targeted.

[Skyh13]

The title of this article is a little sensationalist.. clearly trying to get page views.

In any case, it doesn't sound like a lot of people understand the issue at hand..

What happened was that a lot of people's computers were infected, which would hijack what DNS (Domain Name Service) server their computer would contact to resolve website addresses into IP Addresses. These rogue servers would resolve website adresses into fake IP Addresses.

The FBI found and shut down these servers, but then placed their own in the middle to make sure that people were sent to the correct Domain Names instead of continuing to be scammed. At the same time, they set up a website that you could visit, and if you requested the address of the rogue server as your DNS, it let you know that your computer was compromised.

So there wasn't any scanning of people's computers, it was just a matter of telling them if the DNS server they were requesting was bad, and therefore they needed to get it fixed. Of course, there were plenty of people who probably didn't realize it, and so if they didn't get it fixed, then their DNS server all of a sudden wouldn't exist once the FBI shuts their temporary one down.