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Critical Issue: DNS Virus - 300,000 Users Could Lose Net Access Monday!

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Howdy Folks!
A virus that is particularly malicious is floating around the netosphere. An infected computer will not take you to sites with legitimate DNS info, but to a different one that may look similar, but is part of the malicious nature. From such another site as you may end up in, and perhaps not even know you've been redirected, it is tough to say what might happen then.

As if that isn't bad enough, an infected computer will no longer access the interent at all come Monday, if my info is correct.

Antivirus companies are working hard on the issue, and the FBI, working with other law enforcement agencies overseas, have arrested two men that were responsible for this virus being introduced onto the net.

The FBI has created a site so you can check to learn whether your computer is infected. The site is here:
http://www.dns-ok.us/

When you go there, you'll get a screen mostly green if your computer is not infected with the DNS virus. If, on the other hand, you have the virus, it will be red and also provide instructions on what to do to get rid of it.

Here are a few links if you'd like to learn more about the DNS virus:
From Canada:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/07/06/tech-dns-changer-virus.html?cmp=rss

U.S. Sources:
http://jailbreakstation.com/dns-changer-malware-virus-may-prevail-on-monday.html

From the FBI:
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911/DNS-changer-malware.pdf
https://forms.fbi.gov/check-to-see-if-your-computer-is-using-rogue-DNS

Use the link to check your computer to determine whether it is affected.
If it is, get it squared away before Monday!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

wmodavis

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2012
Messages
109
Location
CO
I believe you are right on M. I frequently read Dwight Silverman and here is his post on same issue. "On Monday, the FBI will kill Internet access for thousands. Don’t be one of them."

If you scroll down in his article there is a link where you can check your computer to see if it will affect you.
"If you would like to check your computer and you live in the United States, you can visit this link. If your PC is clean, you’ll see this screen"
 
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VW_Factor

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
1,092
Location
Leesburg, GA
This is most certainly not a critical issue.

Malware has been hi-jacking DNS resolution for years and zombifying millions of computers a year. Ad-ware mostly to take you to places THEY'D like you to see instead of places you want to go.

Why this is considered top priority this time around, is beyond me.

This is going to happen, and the FBI is going to take these bad DNS resolution end points off the net, and the people who are infected will suddenly not be able to browse reliably anymore. Their first call will be to their ISPs to ask why their internet is broken. A majority of the people affected are going to blame ISPs and other service providers..
 

MatieA

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
400
Location
Egbert, Wyoming, USA
This malware has been around for over 3 years, and is very easy to remove (and antivirus programs will not stop or remove it), and the chatter about those infected possibly losing internet has been getting discussed for over a year; they just finally decided to pull the plug. Anyone that has not scanned or had their computer scanned for it by now; well I think I'll shut up now.
 

KYGlockster

Activist Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
1,842
Location
Ashland, KY
Howdy Folks!
A virus that is particularly malicious is floating around the netosphere. An infected computer will not take you to sites with legitimate DNS info, but to a different one that may look similar, but is part of the malicious nature. From such another site as you may end up in, and perhaps not even know you've been redirected, it is tough to say what might happen then.

As if that isn't bad enough, an infected computer will no longer access the interent at all come Monday, if my info is correct.

Antivirus companies are working hard on the issue, and the FBI, working with other law enforcement agencies overseas, have arrested two men that were responsible for this virus being introduced onto the net.

The FBI has created a site so you can check to learn whether your computer is infected. The site is here:
http://www.dns-ok.us/

When you go there, you'll get a screen mostly green if your computer is not infected with the DNS virus. If, on the other hand, you have the virus, it will be red and also provide instructions on what to do to get rid of it.

Here are a few links if you'd like to learn more about the DNS virus:
From Canada:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/07/06/tech-dns-changer-virus.html?cmp=rss

U.S. Sources:
http://jailbreakstation.com/dns-changer-malware-virus-may-prevail-on-monday.html

From the FBI:
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911/DNS-changer-malware.pdf
https://forms.fbi.gov/check-to-see-if-your-computer-is-using-rogue-DNS

Use the link to check your computer to determine whether it is affected.
If it is, get it squared away before Monday!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

Seems like a good way for the Federal Government to place a trace on your I.P. to me. I wouldn't venture anywhere near this webpage. I have a hard time trusting the Federal Government with all they have done recently to destroy my constitutional rights.
 

1245A Defender

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Messages
4,365
Location
north mason county, Washington, USA
Yess!!!!

Seems like a good way for the Federal Government to place a trace on your I.P. to me. I wouldn't venture anywhere near this webpage. I have a hard time trusting the Federal Government with all they have done recently to destroy my constitutional rights.

this reminds me of 25 years ago,,,,
the micheal onjelo virus scare... i cant spell it,,, i cant even say it,, right...
everyone,, that went to a web page to check their computer for the virus,,,
GOT IT!!!

Dont Go there!!! It is probably a loading site for more infections!
 

kcgunfan

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
1,002
Location
KC
A malicious website in 1987 that predates the invention of either the HTTP protocol?

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
 

ramkatral

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
60
Location
Tryon, NC
Kcgunfan is correct, here. HTTP protocol began the web as we know it. It did not exist in the 80s. Before that, it was pretty much FTP, telnet, and USENET primarily.
 
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VW_Factor

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
1,092
Location
Leesburg, GA
When did I say anything about the Internet? The Internet is not HTTP. The initial draft for the HTTP protocol was released in 1991, which is well after 1987. Without HTTP, there are no websites.


Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

1981 Computer Science Network (CSNET)
1982 TCP/IP protocol suite formalized
1982 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
1983 Domain Name System (DNS)
1983 MILNET split off from ARPANET
1985 First .COM domain name registered

You really dislike reading don't you?

Edit: I'm guessing you are talking about the WWW and web browsing as we know it today.. It existed back then, just not like it is today. But simply stating the it didn't exist is incorrect.

The earliest worm/malware I know of was

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_worm

Listed on that wiki as well. Released in '88 perpetrated via internet.
 
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kcgunfan

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
1,002
Location
KC
Computer Scientists speak very precisely as a matter of their training. When I said HTTP, I mean exactly that and nothing more. The term is precisely defined in the IETF RFC's and would not apply to any systems that existed in 1987. You can try and change the topic as much as you want, what I wrote is still the truth.

You really dislike reading don't you?

Edit: I'm guessing you are talking about the WWW and web browsing as we know it today.. It existed back then, just not like it is today. But simply stating the it didn't exist is incorrect.

The earliest worm/malware I know of was

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_worm

Listed on that wiki as well. Released in '88 perpetrated via internet.



Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
 

VW_Factor

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
1,092
Location
Leesburg, GA
Computer Scientists speak very precisely as a matter of their training. When I said HTTP, I mean exactly that and nothing more. The term is precisely defined in the IETF RFC's and would not apply to any systems that existed in 1987. You can try and change the topic as much as you want, what I wrote is still the truth.

Look.

While it wasn't the Michelangelo virus mentioned, there was a worm that propagated over what was the internet nearly some 25 years ago as mentioned. You offered rebuttle that it wasn't possible because it predated HTTP.

Not trying to prove you wrong, merely that there was indeed "malware" that existed 23 years ago on what was the "forefather" of cyberspace. The mention of "webpage" was brought on in what appears to be sarcasm in going to a government run "webpage" to check your machine (or in this case DNS resolution)for the current infection.

That was the topic at hand, I am not trying to change it.

Carry on.

No hard feelings, not trying to argue. Just discussing.
 

bigdaddy1

Regular Member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
1,320
Location
Southsider der hey
I cant read this thread as my internet has been killed, squashed like a bug. I wonder what it will be like when I can get back on, will there be flying cars?
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Ok, people -- away with the tin foil...

Here are some facts from moi, an old ARPANET user from the mid-80s and beyond:

1. Yes, the threat is (was) real.

2. Yes, good antivirus programs do (did) clean your system.

3. No, the http://www.dns-ok.us/ link does NOT put a virus on the computer. No, it doesn't allow the government to personally identify you, either.

4. kcgunfan is essentially correct. HTTP <> Internet. The foundations of the Internet date back to the late 1960s. The first documented version of HTTP was back in 1991, but RFC 1945 officially introduced and recognized HTTP V1.0 in 1996.

The issue is that the guys who created it were caught. The FBI had created a mirrored DNS system to fool the perps into thinking their plan was still in play so they'd keep getting bolder and break more laws. It worked. The FBI's work-around just kept things humming along without most people being aware of it. They announced the system, as well as catching the perps about six months ago, and figured six months was long enough for most anti-virus packages to be updated and fix people's computers.

I'm surprised I'm not covered in tin foil just from reading the many and gross misconceptions on this thread.

Thanks, M-Taleisin, for sharing the details in a timely manner. Good on 'ya!
 
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