[RTTY] FW: QRZ.com virus

[Dave Cole]

I changed from Windows to Linux for just this reason...  If you are on
the net, and you are using IE and Windows, you probably have something
wrong right now, and don't even know it...  

If you consider moving to Linux, and Chrome, you will find that you have
much less to worry about.  I use a virtual Windows machine, running
under Linux for everything but one program...

Dave
NK7Z


On Sat, 2011-12-31 at 00:47 -0600, G. E. Janssens - K5WW wrote:

> Unfortunately David, that statement is "not 100 percent" true. You don't have to believe me, but read this http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20000898-245.html and kindly scroll down to the seventh paragraph, to read what the experts say. It's the first one I could find in a hurry; but there are many others out there that will tell you the same. In short: you don't have to click on anything to get infected. I clean up PCs like this on an almost daily basis, from customers who swear on their mother's grave that they never clicked on anything. And I know they're speaking the truth.
>  
> It's not as simple and straightforward as you think it is. Hackers, in many situations, can alter an ad's code, and - simply by displaying the (altered) ad on your screen - have that download malware on your PC. And QRZ.com and others may never be the wiser; because the best of those crooks have a way of covering their tracks. They are "here today, gone tomorrow".
>  
> Worse: the code can be split up in different segments, and doesn't have to come from ONE site. There are cases in which they break up their malicious code, hide one part in one ad, and another part in a second ad, and so on, on totally different websites. You could be visiting Google search one day, and a week later pick up the remainder of the code on eBay (just an example, I know Google and eBay have teams to check for those attacks). After that - you're screwed. These suckers are getting smarter, yes.
>  
> I run my amateur radio applications on a Windows desktop, because I have no other choice. Everything else (90 percent of my email, and all of my web browsing) runs on a Ubuntu laptop. Not that Linux won't be infested with virusses, a few (!) years from now; but for now it's the safest thing to do.
>  
> If you want a virtually headache-free internet experience then by all means switch to an operating system that is not so virus-inviting. And if you want a totally headache-free internet experience... then stay off of the internet!
>  
> And another word to the wise: services and programs such as Adblock Plus only work because they detect the ad's code. That means the ad's code is ran first. Then intercepted. It's only a matter of time before those services/programs get bypassed. Don't trust them with your life: the scammers will always be one step ahead of the counter-scammers - if not more.
>  
> 73,
>  
> Erik - K5WW
> 
>  
> 
> > From: david at levinecentral.com
> > Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:46:51 -0500
> > To: k8sm at windstream.net
> > CC: ve3vid at hotmail.com; rtty at contesting.com
> > Subject: Re: [RTTY] FW: QRZ.com virus
> > 
> > Scott and others.
> > 
> > Visiting QRZ won't cause the malware people have reported to get installed.
> > I'm pretty sure you need to take an action (click a pop-up alert, etc) or
> > download something and AFTER that you would see what was reported. You
> > certainly wouldn't see it just by visiting a web page.
>  		 	   		  
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