On Monday July 9th, the FBI will be shutting off all modems that couldВ possibly be infected with Malware called the DNS (Domain Name System)В changer.
In a recent press release, FBI officials stated that the virus is “anВ internet service that converts user-friendly domain names intoВ numerical internet protocol (IP) addresses that computers use to talkВ to each other.” В Earlier this year, the FBI conducted a search for the maliciousВ virus and had a lot of success. However, in order to contain the virus,В the FBI will be shutting off DNS Servers that could possiblyВ be infected.
The problem began in 2007, when a group of cybercrooks allegedly started posing as Internet advertisers who were paid by the click. В They created malware (DNSChanger) that manipulated the way Internet ads appeared in computer browsers–redirecting Internet users to sites they didn’t search for, allowing the crooks to collect millions of dollars in illicit fees.В For example, if your computer was infected and you clicked a link to go to Netflix, you would wind up at “BudgetMatch,” according to the FBI. The practice is called “click hijacking.”
The group of cyberthieves were caught in November 2011 and their servers seized. Given the number of infected computers, the FBI decided to leave the servers running sans ads, launching an awareness campaign instead, to get users to disinfect before a shutdown date: July 9, 2012. В When the servers go dark, DNS-related Internet activity on any remaining infected computers will no longer work.
To see if your computer is infected, you can go to this site run by DNS Changer Working Group (DCWG). В You will instantly know by the color of the screen if you are infected or not.
We at Emerytelcom already know which modems will be turned off withinВ our services and will be contacting those who will need to beВ informed. If you are not called and informed further on the matter,В then you’re computer is not infected and you need not worry about anyВ potential spread. If you are called, the members of staff who contactВ you will walk you through the process you will need to take and giveВ you options.
The public is asked to not be threatened by the software and to onlyВ take the actions offered to you by those who contact you from ourВ offices. Further, if you start having problems connecting to the InternetВ on Monday and for a few days after, you may call our offices to see ifВ something is wrong.
Information regarding the malicious software removal can be found atВ the website of the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team:
https://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/trojan-recovery.pdf
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