Just five steps to keep your internet service

July 8, 2012 North Myrtle Beach, SC – You are online.  You are reading this article.  Now is the time to take steps to insure your computer is safe. NorthMyrtleBeachOnline.Com staff checked out their computers yesterday. The process took about five minutes per computer. All were safe.
Graphic courtsey of FBI
By now computer users must have heard about the internet malware the FBI uncovered that could keep them from accessing the internet on Monday.  According to the FBI, “approximately 64,000 Americans could lose inter access on Monday thanks to a criminal organization that infected millions of computers around the world with malware called DNSChanger. This malware was used to direct unsuspecting users to rogue servers controlled by the cyber thieves, where they manipulated users’ web browsing activity and used it for ad hijacking, allowing them to make millions of dollars in illicit fees.”

The good news is the FBI seized the servers, but the bad news is they will be turning them off on Monday.  If a computer has been infected, it will be searching for servers that will no longer exist and users will be blind to the internet.

The solution can be as simple as following a four step process for a windows based system (process may vary depending upon the operating system):

1. At the start menu click run.  When the dialog box appears type in ipconfig /all (note the space between inpconfig and /all is important)

2. Look for a line that reads “DNS  Servers ….”

3. Compare the numbers on the lines to this list:

4. If the list contains one or more of these numbers contact a computer professional.  We recommend Just Ask Hal.

5. Report the infection to the FBI at https://forms.fbi.gov/dnsmalware

For more information go to the FBI web site at https://forms.fbi.gov/check-to-see-if-your-computer-is-using-rogue-DNS