Summary:

Hackers have infected hundreds of thousands of computers around the world, forcing the infected computers to use the hackers' own DNS servers.  This allows the hackers to redirect any Internet traffic to their own versions of all websites, specficially versions that generate revenue via ads.  The hackers generated something in the range of $14 million with this scam.  To make matters worse, any infected computers will lose their ability to connect to the Internet entirely unless the infection is cleaned before July 9th.

Snip from the article:

"For computer users, a few mouse clicks could mean the difference between staying online and losing Internet connections this summer.

"Unknown to most of them, their problem began when international hackers ran an online advertising scam to take control of infected computers around the world. In a highly unusual response, the FBI set up a safety net months ago using government computers to prevent Internet disruptions for those infected users. But that system is to be shut down."

link to the full Fox News article

Note: I understand why many will greet this article with skepticism (and rightly so), but just keep it in mind if you talk to someone who is experiencing trouble with their Internet connection.  If you do know someone who is infected, format their hard drive and reinstall the OS, that's the best and only way to make certain the infection is gone.

edit: 1) shortened the whole post, 2) swapped the quote from the article with one that's more relevant, 3) removed the link to the FBI's tools for determining if a computer is infected, 4) added note

I would hope that your average MMO player is more computer literate then the averge computer user. In my experience they are anyways.

So lets hope this does not affect many people and the ones that it does affect will fill up ISP customer service lines for hours.

Originally posted by gigat

 'The average user would open up Internet Explorer and get `page not found' and think the Internet is broken.'

How funny is that "and think the Internet is broken" bit, in a tragi-comic kind of way?

The FBI wants you to run their software? bahahah ya right ill take my chances with the hackers.

AND

if this is common knowlage why do none of the major antivirus software companies have a fix for this.

To me this reaks of FBI looking through your files.

Originally posted by toddze

The FBI wants you to run their software? bahahah ya right ill take my chances with the hackers.

AND

if this is common knowlage why do none of the major antivirus software companies have a fix for this.

To me this reaks of FBI looking through your files.

That is the first thing I've thought of!

Originally posted by toddze

The FBI wants you to run their software? bahahah ya right ill take my chances with the hackers.

AND

if this is common knowlage why do none of the major antivirus software companies have a fix for this.

To me this reaks of FBI looking through your files.

Originally posted by makkaal

Originally posted by toddze

The FBI wants you to run their software? bahahah ya right ill take my chances with the hackers.

AND

if this is common knowlage why do none of the major antivirus software companies have a fix for this.

To me this reaks of FBI looking through your files.

 

Yeeeaaah... That second link supposedly leads to (among others) to the version of my country's Federal Criminal Police Office. Which has been in the news for about a year (or more?) about a Trojan they themselves released to spy on the average citizen. I'm with you on this. I'll rather take my chances with hackers than offer THOSE guys a chance to run whatever code they deem fit on my computer.

  Why on earth would anyone trust EITHER of them?  While I really have no issues with law enforcement, I definately would not trust a group of people willing to release the personal information of average users just to try and prove their 'point'

Regardless of how much you think you know, if your computer is connected to the Internet, you are vulnerable to this kind of attack.

That's fine if you guys are comfortable with your current security, more power to you and good job keeping yourself safe online.  But there are over 500k computers worldwide who are impacted by this.  You might not be, but your friend or relative could be.

If you know someone who suddenly loses Internet after July 9th, now you know why.

Originally posted by dubyahite
The FBI should have never propped up these fake DNS servers after busting the hackers.

...snip...


The only reason I could think that they would keep those dns servers up is to collect data from them.

I have to agree with you on this.  Why would the federal government spend $87k to keep infected computers connected to the Internet?  You're absolutely right, they should have just killed the servers and let people figure it out for themselves.

Originally posted by dubyahite
The FBI should have never propped up these fake DNS servers after busting the hackers.

Should have just shut it down and let people figure out how to fix their stuff.

They handles this situation very poorly.


As far as the virus goes, it has been well known to anti-virus makers for months, and in fact it is in current definitions. This virus does disable anti virus and security software as well as windows update, however.


Honestly guys, there are very few infections of this out there still. If your AV and windows update are working fine, you are probably clean.

The virus was on a couple million machines but has been cleaned up for the most part. The people who remain infected are probably on pirated versions of windows or something.


Like I said, the FBI shouldnt have meddled here. They have effectively kept thousands of infected machines connected tothe Internet while those infected do nothing to solve their problem.

Due to the nature of this bot weakenig other security, these machines are likely infected with a lot more malware right now than they were before. Shutting down the dns servers kills the bonnet until those affected take care of their crap.


The only reason I could think that they would keep those dns servers up is to collect data from them.

You are correct sir.   With this upcoming bill: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/White-House-CISPA-SOPA-PIPA,news-14865.html#xtor=RSS-998   you might want to ask yourself what benefits the intelligence community gets out of places like facebook with all those relationship links.  They could pass privacy laws but certain agencies are strongly against it.  It's extremely cheap information source for them.

Originally posted by gigat
...

link to the full Fox News article

...

He, a link to a Fox News article, now that's the place everyone would go to learn something about a virus.

Or perhaps not?

Well, I thought that was an interesting bit of news and I'm glad it was posted, so thanks OP, genuinely.

However it's 1) FOX news and 2) The FBI have been attacking people's privacy and internet usage a hell of a lot more than hackers lately. So, I'm good.

---

Originally posted by gaeanprayer

2) The FBI have been attacking people's privacy and internet usage a hell of a lot more than hackers lately. So, I'm good.

---

You work for FBI or just watch FOX news...?

Gee idunno, maybe with enough planning and a little effort you could back up your files and reformat you hard drives and re install your OS on or before 7/9 if you are that concerned.

I think Fox News is hilarious when it comes to hackers. It always reminds me of that time they got attacked by hackers. It makes me think they are still sore.

Speaking of that, didn't the FBI website get hit by some hackers once too?

Any information on how to identify the hack?

I'm assuming it's more than just a compromised hosts file.

It will be very interesting to see just how many users are affected come july 9th.

Ive already marked it in my calender XD

Originally posted by ActionMMORPG

Any information on how to identify the hack?

 

I'm assuming it's more than just a compromised hosts file.

It's a rootkit virus

Originally posted by ActionMMORPG

Any information on how to identify the hack?

 

I'm assuming it's more than just a compromised hosts file.

Other than the link in the article?  If you read and follow all the links you will find a pdf that will step you through listing the DNS servers your pc uses as well as IP Address ranges of the bad dns servers.  It's a step by step instruction.....