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| FBI Badge & gun. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
FBI warns of virus that could keep your computer offline come Monday
What would you do if you didn't have access to the Internet?
Federal Bureau of Investigation officials say 64,000 Americans are close to finding out.
A computer virus could cause people to lose their Internet service on Monday if the virus is not removed.
The FBI is calling it operation Ghost Click.
The malware virus will change your Domain Name System (DNS) and not allow you to surf the internet.
Computer viruses are a real threat to users every day.
The DNS is the address your computer uses to communicate with your internet service provider.
"What this virus does is it will redirect to another DNS which effectively will prevent you from getting to the internet," said Donald Hughes, owner of East Penn PC Support, LLC.
"It will give you a false reading."
For months agents have operated a safe server to eliminate the virus.
"The FBI wants to make sure we are all aware of this," adds Hughes.
There is a way to check your system for the DNS changer virus. Go to an FBI approved site and if the computer screen comes up green, everything is fine.
If it comes up red, "there is a couple of websites that you can actually download tools to get this virus off of your computer," said Hughes.
The FBI fix will only stay online until 12:01 am on Monday July 9th.
After that you could be one of the estimated 277,000 people worldwide that didn't make sure your computer was safe.
"If you haven't paid attention to these warnings, and if you haven't done this, ultimately you won't be able to go to the internet," said Hughes. "So therefore you won't be able to download the virus checking and removal software."
If on July 9th you do get hit by the virus computer consultants say it could cost up to $150 to fix.
This affects all computers: windows based and Macs.
Thank You
Leo Castagnera – Vice President
BSA Officer, Security Officer
First Northern Bank & Trust Co.
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