DNS Changer Malware: It Pays To Be Safe

Check your computer if you have been infected with DNS changer malware before it's too late. The clean DNS servers, that were setup to replace the malicious server to give enough leeway for users to clean up their infected computer will be turned off on July 9, 2012, and computers still impacted by DNSChanger may lose Internet connectivity at that time.

(Photo courtesy of Infoniac.com)

The DNSChanger is a Trojan virus that belongs to the Zlob family, caused quite a stir in the US last year. But the FBI has taken actions against it and they announced that they’ve found the source of the virus and shut down the operation. Six Estonian nationals have been arrested and charged with running a sophisticated Internet fraud ring that infected millions of computers worldwide with a virus and enabled the thieves to manipulate the multi-billion-dollar Internet advertising industry. Users of infected machines were unaware that their computers had been compromised — or that the malicious software rendered their machines vulnerable to a host of other viruses. 

Domain Name System or DNS is a critical Internet service that converts user-friendly domain names, such as www.fbi.gov, into numerical addresses that allow computers to talk to each other. Without DNS and the DNS servers operated by Internet service providers, computer users would not be able to browse websites or send e-mail.

To check if your computer were infected with this virus, click here.

Be sure to check your computer before they pull the plug of those clean DNS server. You only have 4 more days to go. By taking action today, you can avoid future inconvenience. Even if you know that your computer was not compromised, it pays to be safe. If your computer has been infected, I suggest you get a professional help.