Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jim McMannis who wrote (89581)	11/2/2008 10:59:35 PM
From: RealMuLan	Respond to of 116555

sophos.com usec.at

To: Jim McMannis who wrote (89581)	11/3/2008 2:18:26 AM
From: benwood	1 Recommendation Respond to of 116555

What I read is that they keep changing the code (which changes the signature the virus scanner looks for), so old forms, maybe; new forms, no. Heuristic scanners do not catch these things. My parents caught a virus like (malware, to be more precise) that but not so damaging -- this one put up a fake "XP Security Center" message with a false claim that it had found all these viruses on the PC. It was/is a mafia protection racket -- pay us and we'll take care of it. I tried to get rid of that thing for perhaps 12 hours, and I'm an expert. I eventually tricked it into launching the calculator during login, but it was still around. I was about to reformat and rebuild their system when I found a very good utility for this particular malware (technically not a virus). This one stealing passwords is much worse. I think the best defense is Firefox 3 plus run an add-on for blocking scripts. Computers are infected via a script on a web page, and so the script blocker gives you full control. I use that all the time on one PC and think I'll migrate it to the other PCs (e.g. train my kids how to use it... gads, like teaching them how to drive a car!). BTW, one great way to protect yourself for another five, maybe ten years, is only log into password protected sites of any value (e.g. your brokerage or bank) while running a Linux computer. And if you use a Mac, you are probably ahead of the game, too. Microsoft has really dropped the ball on this kind of security, much of which can be traced directly to that frigging registry, which I loath. The model used in Linux is 10000x better. e.g. I can reinstall my OS and all my applications are still there, all my user data is still there, all my application settings are still there. My mail is still there, my browser, all my links, etc. Oh...btw Jim, the first thing this malware did to my parent's computer was to cripple McAfee VirusScan. It caused it to run, but with the original (several year old) database of viruses, and it broke it's ability to update itself. You couldn't even update manually. If you every discover that there's something not working right with your anti-virus and/or firewall software, you likely have a serious exploit on your system.