Ramblings of an old Doc

 

Big thank you goes to tazgecko and to DaveBax.

Both these Community members have emailed/pm’d me with this news item which could adversely affect your connectivity.

The DNS Switcher does just what it says. It changes the legitimate DNS address to a ‘ghosted’ one where you will be bilked, or given false information. illions of computers were infected by the gang of six Estonian criminals the FBI, etc. put boots to sometime back.

You should check here:  http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911

for a full explanation and the displayed page should look like this (minus my annotations):

You should navigate to here: http://www.dcwg.org/  the DCWG homepage through which you can test your computer and if infected obtain instructions how to fix the problem and how to protect your computer through the three icons at to top of the page.

That page should look like this (there are four pictures which change so don’t panic if you get an initially different picture which changes):

Outside the USA:

Canada: CIRA has developed with other agencies a DNS Switcher checking site as well, here:

http://DNS-OK.ca/ 

and other countries (Australia is one from the bottom) here:

Thanks again, Dave and taz.

Hope you all check up on things ASAP.


Comments (Page 2)
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on Apr 22, 2012

Well I'm glad you brought it up.  When I'd seen this before I'd thought "Surely after all this time MS updates and any AV even half worth its salt would pick it up."  Wasn't until I read the article that I saw that's not necessarily true, even if the updates have been coming through.

on Apr 23, 2012

Doc! Many thanks for getting the "old News" out to the folks who have either not heard of this or think their machine could never be infected! Great community service notice. According to the "news" article in the paper this AM, there are still about 580,000 infected machines in the USA.

on Apr 23, 2012

You're perfectly welcome, Frankie. Glad to do it. The warning was for those who hadn't used the available resources to check to see if they were being 'redirected' without their knowledge and that there's a 'fix' for it.

Didn't mean for some to think this was a brand new thing... only that it would have consequences come July, which many don't know.

It was after all, posted under "Personal Computing", not "News".

on Apr 23, 2012

Thanks Doc. Clean here!

on Apr 23, 2012

Whoa! The FBI are really in need of a competent graphics designer.

on Apr 23, 2012

You should navigate to here: http://www.dcwg.org/

 

Service Unavailable. Please try again later.

 

or when it does load it's all messed up and then the Links take you back to

Service Unavailable. Please try again later.

 

and no it's not my PC  all other links from OP work

 

EDIT it worked now JUST had to do 5 to 15 fast clicks on the reload button..

 

on Apr 23, 2012

Thanks alot Doc. I am good to go. 

on Apr 23, 2012

DC - it took 2 clicks for me, just now. Might be that the news about this on the net has caused some 'traffic problems'. Don't give up. It's important.

on Apr 23, 2012

I guess millions are checking their computers - I got: Service Unavailable. Please try again later.

Oh well, if they do not check by July, I guess I am going to get a lot of calls.

on Apr 23, 2012

As I thought, I am not infected.

on Apr 23, 2012

Only one click. done.

on Jul 05, 2012

BUMP

7/9 is coming soon. If you haven't checked yet, please do so or your net access will disappear.

on Jul 05, 2012

Well I'm all clean downunder.  

on Jul 08, 2012

Clean here.

on Jul 09, 2012

Has anyone noticed if any of the regulars are MIA today?

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