Joel Hendon

Fbi Issues Warning To Public of New and Highly Dangerous Malware Virus

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Posted: Thursday, August 09, 2012

by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning today, August 9, 2012, of a new cyber scam. A malware referred to as “ransom ware” which locks one’s computer completely down, leaving a message and demanding payment.

“We’re getting inundated with complaints,” said Donna Gregory of the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), referring to the virus known as Reveton ransomware, which is designed to extort money from its victims (FBI New Internet Scam 08/09/2012)

Unlike most viruses, where normally one has to open an attachment or file, Reveton can install itself when users simply click on an infected website. When this happens, there is nothing one can do to clear his computer without professional assistance. The message professes to be from the FBI.

Once infected, the victim’s computer immediately locks, and the monitor displays a screen stating there has been a violation of federal law. The bogus message goes on to say that the user’s Internet address was identified by the FBI or the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section as having been associated with child pornography sites or other illegal online activity. To unlock their machines, users are required to pay a fine using a prepaid money card service. (Ibid)

The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) suggests the following steps if your computer is infected:

1. Do not pay any money or provide any personal information.

2. Contact a computer professional to remove Reveton and Citadel from your computer.

3. Be aware that even if you are able to unfreeze your computer on your own, the malware may still operate in the background. Certain types of malware have been known to capture personal information such as user names, passwords, and credit card numbers through embedded keystroke logging programs.

4. File a complaint and look for updates about the Reveton virus on the IC3 website.

It is advisable to visit the link given above and read the entire warning issued by the FBI. They issued a warning in May of this year concerning it but its activity has increased in the U.S. since that time. One might well contact their computer security provider to learn how the virus might be cleared up if infected
Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He has an extensive website of conservative religious and political articles plus much more. Check it out. http://hebronics.org/index.html

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