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Hundreds of thousands may lose Internet in July
AP / King5.com ^ | 4-20-12 | Lolita C. Baldo

Posted on 04/20/2012 4:07:18 PM PDT by LegendHasIt

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.

The FBI is encouraging users to visit a website run by its security partner, http://www.dcwg.org , that will inform them whether they're infected and explain how to fix the problem. After July 9, infected users won't be able to connect to the Internet.

(Excerpt) Read more at king5.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: computer; fbi; fbiinternet; hoax; internet; internethoax; virus
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Trouble is, I don't trust the FBI or this website to be helping delete this... They could be installing something instead.

I haven't found anything else yet on the net about it, other than essentially the same article in the Kansas City newspaper

1 posted on 04/20/2012 4:07:23 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: LegendHasIt
users won't be able to connect to the Internet.

'You can't stop the signal, Mal.'

/johnny

2 posted on 04/20/2012 4:10:17 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: LegendHasIt

I have a gut feeling this is a hoax. The first result I found says this should have happened in March.
http://techcrawlers.com/dns-changer-virus-march-8th/

Generally if you see the same story repeated with different dates, it is probably a hoax that just won’t die.


3 posted on 04/20/2012 4:11:19 PM PDT by mnehring
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To: LegendHasIt

“The FBI is encouraging users to visit a website”

-since when, and how does the FBI “encourage” this? Sounds like a load, treat it like a load until such time.


4 posted on 04/20/2012 4:11:39 PM PDT by 4buttons (yeah yeah yeah mushmouth)
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To: LegendHasIt

Who knows. I checked mine and it’s OK unless, like you stated, the FBI site loaded some malware for me. :)


5 posted on 04/20/2012 4:16:41 PM PDT by abigailsmybaby ("To understan' the livin', you got ta commune wit' da dead." Minerva)
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To: 4buttons; All

I did a search here, and on Yahoo before I posted it, couldn’t find anything with the keywords anywhere, except a duplicate article in the Kansas City Star, also posted today.

The thing is, I got this from an old Army Buddy who is a bigwig with the GSA in charge of their computer systems for an entire region.


6 posted on 04/20/2012 4:18:29 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: LegendHasIt
The url, http://www.dcwg.org, digs back to 98.129.229.16. And a tracetroute winds up in a server farm somewhere near White Plains, NY.

Take that with a grain of salt. I'm just a cook, these days.

/johnny

7 posted on 04/20/2012 4:21:23 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: LegendHasIt

yeah....riiight...


8 posted on 04/20/2012 4:21:55 PM PDT by mo (If you understand, no explanation is needed. If you don't understand, no explanation is possible.)
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Ooops!

Sorry. It seems to end near San Antonio, Texas.

/johnny

9 posted on 04/20/2012 4:25:04 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: mnehring

Hmm, interesting... Now that you mention it, I remember that I DID have an apparent DNS hijack on my computer in late Feb., had a heck of a time cleaning it.


10 posted on 04/20/2012 4:25:29 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: LegendHasIt
does that mean I will stop getting emails advising how I can enhance my manhood?
11 posted on 04/20/2012 4:25:50 PM PDT by paul51 (11 September 2001 - Never forget)
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To: LegendHasIt

I got a pop-up warning me that my computer was infected, and since I couldn’t seem to make the pop-up go away I just downloaded whatever it wanted me to download and now my computer is no longer infected, I guess. It is really slow, though.


12 posted on 04/20/2012 4:25:58 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: mo

So, are you calling me a liar, or what?


13 posted on 04/20/2012 4:26:40 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: mo

So, are you calling me a liar, or what?


14 posted on 04/20/2012 4:26:50 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: LegendHasIt

“FBI set up a safety net months ago using government computers to prevent Internet disruptions for those infected users”

I’m agreeing with you. They were looking for something...and quit..or have found it or about it..


15 posted on 04/20/2012 4:28:34 PM PDT by mo (If you understand, no explanation is needed. If you don't understand, no explanation is possible.)
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To: LegendHasIt; Lazamataz
A whois query is interesting reading. If somewhat recursive.

Laz, this might interest you.

/johnny

16 posted on 04/20/2012 4:28:58 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: mo

Oh, Sorry I misunderstood.


17 posted on 04/20/2012 4:29:58 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: paul51
does that mean I will stop getting emails advising how I can enhance my manhood?

If you clicked on the link, yes.

Downside is that now you will get emails advising how to enhance your bust.

Sorry for your loss. ;)

/johnny

18 posted on 04/20/2012 4:31:34 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: JRandomFreeper
I'm just a cook, these days.

Heh, took me a moment on that one, Hugh... with your tagline. Me too.

19 posted on 04/20/2012 4:33:54 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: Lancey Howard
I got a pop-up warning me that my computer was infected, and since I couldn’t seem to make the pop-up go away I just downloaded whatever it wanted me to download and now my computer is no longer infected, I guess. It is really slow, though.

Did you forget a sarcasm tag, or did you really fall for the scam?

20 posted on 04/20/2012 4:35:12 PM PDT by PAR35
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