Scareware

zappaDPJ · Mar 23, 2009, 11:41:30

I'm fairly sure most members of this forum are clued up enough not to be taken in by this scam but I think it still worth posting as the methods being employed are becoming more sophisticated.

QuoteUsing popular and mis-spelled search terms, the criminals divert people to sites that are seeded with fake warnings about virus infections.

The pop-up warnings claim that a visitor's PC is riddled with malicious programmes and spyware.

For further reading: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7955358.stm

Rik · Mar 23, 2009, 11:42:56

Thanks, Zappa.

Sebby · Mar 23, 2009, 13:14:33

Prevention is better than cure.

BrianM · Mar 23, 2009, 16:07:02

Yes, worth posting and thanks for that Zappa, will post it on.

D-Dan · Mar 23, 2009, 21:27:15

It's always worth remembering - if you get a warning from something other than what you have installed yourself on your PC, then it is fake and the best thing to do is ignore it (and of course, conduct an immediate scan with your legitimate software to remove the damn blighter that put the warning there in the first place).

Steve

Rik · Mar 24, 2009, 10:04:50

You mean I should stop just throwing the machines away and replacing them, Steve?

bobleslie · Mar 24, 2009, 11:41:14

Nah! That's a perfectly acceptable excuse.

Rik · Mar 24, 2009, 11:51:29

It's worked so far.

bobleslie · Mar 24, 2009, 11:59:04

I'll try it myself. I'm starting to run out of excuses.

Rik · Mar 24, 2009, 12:07:39

That's never happened to me yet.

bobleslie · Mar 24, 2009, 12:12:34

There are 8 ports on my router and 6 are being used. What do you think my chances are of using up the remaining 2?

Rik · Mar 24, 2009, 12:14:17

Easy, you need a couple of network printers.

bobleslie · Mar 24, 2009, 16:44:53

I sculpted a pertinent response earlier, but it got lost in the ether.

I must have pressed the 'cancel' button whilst dreaming about lunch.

I've already got two network printers, but I don't need to use any router ports for them. I've also got a backup server and media center extender. I think the only solution is to build another computer, but I only normally do that to 'celebrate' the arrival of a new, and more hardware-demanding, Microsoft operating system; Windows 7 doesn't qualify, however, and I have an ongoing distaste for Intel processors, particularly as they're currently better than my preferred AMD.

I'm sure some kind soul is thinking that it's about time I built a dedicated Linux machine, but after almost 20 years dicking around with Unix/Linux, frankly, I've grown out of it.

The final thought is a Mac; which I would only buy if I could build my own computer.

So, impasse.

Rik · Mar 24, 2009, 17:11:15

TV, Slingbox?

bobleslie · Mar 24, 2009, 17:32:38

Thanks. Good thoughts.

I can already do TV and Streaming via my XBox 360 and Windows Media Center, but I'll look at Slingbox to see what it has to offer.

Lance · Mar 24, 2009, 19:40:57

Webcam and NAS, that will take your two free ports!

bobleslie · Mar 24, 2009, 20:24:51

Two more good thoughts. Thank you. You are a productive lot!

NAS though is not required as I've built my own Windows Home Server with 1TB for starters.

Webcam is a good thought. Scratches head and puts on list.

Lance · Mar 24, 2009, 20:27:28

But but but the NAS would be available when your WHS crashes or gets a terminal hardware fault!!!

We're good here at spending each others money!

Lance · Mar 24, 2009, 20:29:32

Thinking about it, change webcam for security camera (should get permission from the wife easier

) and get yourself one of these

bobleslie · Mar 24, 2009, 20:39:37

Nice try, but the backups are mirrored so it would require (in this case) both Home Server HDDs and 4 other independent HDDs all to go down simultaneously for me to have a restless night.

As for that camera.....

I'll start saving straight away.