Just In Case

[Audible Click]

I know we're all too smart and diligent to let our computers become infected with this malware but just in case there was anyone wandering around out there in cyberspace who doesn't have a clue, here is a link an article outlining the problem.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/07/dns-changer-going-dark/

Below is a link to a list of countries who have websites to detect DNS Changer.

http://www.dcwg.org/detect/

Everyone play nice and there will be milk and cookies later.

 

[Careyp74]

I know we're all too smart and diligent to let our computers become infected with this malware but just in case there was anyone wandering around out there in cyberspace who doesn't have a clue, here is a link an article outlining the problem.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/07/dns-changer-going-dark/

Below is a link to a list of countries who have websites to detect DNS Changer.

http://www.dcwg.org/detect/

Everyone play nice and there will be milk and cookies later.

I think that anyone still contaminated would have been notified. It is rather easy to go to the link that AC supplied to check it anyway though. Let's go people, we have until Monday morning, after that, no internet for you.

 

[Belz...]

No internet ? How does that work ? And outside the US ?

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

The US has a site that tests your computer's IP address detection: http://www.dns-ok.us/

Though I cannot parse their "Please note, however,"

Your computer appears to be looking up IP addresses correctly!

Had your computer been infected with DNS changer malware you would have seen a red background. Please note, however, that if your ISP is redirecting DNS traffic for its customers you would have reached this site even though you are infected. For additional information regarding the DNS changer malware, please visit the FBI's website at:
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911

OK, wait, I get it. So anyone know if Comcast is correcting for its customers?

 

[Sam.I.Am]

I think that blurb at the end is standard CYA legal boilerplate type stuff. The major ISP's are fully aware of this issue but there are probably some people still on mom and pop type dial up ISPs that may or may not have fixed this.

 

[bruto]

The US has a site that tests your computer's IP address detection: http://www.dns-ok.us/

Though I cannot parse their "Please note, however,"


OK, wait, I get it. So anyone know if Comcast is correcting for its customers?

I think I read somewhere that comcast's DNS servers, (75.75.75.75 and 75.75.76.76) use a new set of extensions which, while not perfect, help prevent hijacking. If you have your OS set for ISP provided DNS servers, it's probably all right.

I think the best defense overall is to make sure you know where your OS saves DNS server addresses, and have a small list of good ones on hand, so that you can manually reenter them if something messes them up.

A few years ago, my local ISP for some reason had terrible problems with DNS lookups when on dialup, and I experimented with a bunch of other servers than the ones the ISP provides, gaining some speed that way until they fixed their problem, some kind of virus attack on the backbone. It's very easy to tell Windows what number to call. So if you're in doubt, just write down a well tested pair of DNS server addresses and have them ready.

 

[Sam.I.Am]

Googles DNS servers are always a good backup and are easy to remember. 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Not always the fastest but very reliable.