Tag Archives: Malware

Q. I am getting a FBI notice on my screen saying I have to pay?

This is a bogus FBI (or other organization) “ransomware” scam, which tries to scare you into paying a “fine” because they have allegedly done something illegal on their computer. If you don’t pay, the virus then locks your machine so … Continue reading

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Q. How do I get rid of Babylon search in my browser?

Babylon is a search “aid” for web browsers and a toolbar; it is a rogue search engine redirector.  It resists attempts to uninstall it.  Do NOT go to the Babylon site and use their uninstaller, it leaves code on your … Continue reading

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New Java based Trojan attacks Mac, Windows and Linux

Updated August 27 2012 Computerworld has published an article about new Java based malware which can infect Mac, Windows and Linux machines through a vulnerability in Oracle’s Java 7. OSX 10.7 and OSX 10.8 come with Java disabled by default, … Continue reading

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Q. On July 9th, my machine stopped finding websites. What’s wrong?

There was a nasty piece of malware a couple of years ago called DNSChanger, which redirected your web browser to advertising sites instead of where you wanted to go. It did this by changing the DNS Server defaults of your … Continue reading

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Q. Someone knows my IP address and email. Can they hack my computer?

You don’t get hacked just because someone knows your IP address – you get hacked if your machine has malware on it or if you have left services open to the public or if someone has obtained the username and … Continue reading

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Q. What is Smart HDD and why does it say I have errors?

Do not proceed with anything!  Quit or Force Quit your browser, or it it isn’t possible to quit, shut your machine off.  Smart HDD is a scam – it is malware that mimics a legitimate repair or testing program – … Continue reading

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“Flashback”, Java trojans, “SabPub”, “LuckyCat” and “Tibet” Microsoft Office trojans target Mac OSX

Updated Apr 17 2012 April 17: Another Word Trojan Backdoor.OSX.SabPub.a aka “LuckyCat” has been described by Kapersky Labs, which is different malware code, assumed to be delivered in a similar way as “Tibet” through Word 2004/2008 documents or by targeted … Continue reading

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Q. How do I remove MacKeeper antivirus/utility for Mac?

MacKeeper (also known as 911 Bundle) is a program for Macintosh OSX from the company ZeoBIT that purports to protect your Mac from viruses and do other utility functions.  It is heavily advertised with pop up Web ads and banners, … Continue reading

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Q. What is the best Anti-Virus program?

It is important for every Windows machine to have anti-virus software installed, continually updated, and continually scanning. There are a lot of good anti-virus programs and protection suites on the market. Some are good on ease of use, some are … Continue reading

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Q. My computer says it has cookies, is that bad?

Cookies are not malware. They are small text files that are written to your hard drive by your Web browser.  There will be a separate batch of cookies for each different web browser program you run (Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, … Continue reading

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Q. Someone called me from my internet provider and told me my machine needed to be fixed?

Hang up the phone immediately.  This is a scam. (Never believe a phone caller. If your service provider really needed to contact you, you could hang up and call them back on their support phone number, which you can easily … Continue reading

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Q. How do I know if a website has a virus?

Downloading files from websites (especially pirated files) is risky no matter what. The files may not be what you think they are, and may contain malware installers.  Or the site may be ‘poisoned’ and try to automatically download malware to … Continue reading

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Q. How can I secure my Mac?

What? Secure my Mac?  Why? Mac owners sometimes exist in a bubble of avoidance – believing that since Mac OS X is more resistant to viruses, they don’t have to worry about a thing to do with security. Bubbles inevitably … Continue reading

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Q. What is a Rootkit?

A rootkit is a persistent virus that is much harder to remove than a normal virus because it gains privileged access to the machine, modifies the system at a low level and cloaks its visibility. Once established, rootkit infections often … Continue reading

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Q. I am getting a screen on my Mac which tells me it is infected with viruses. I had visited a movie download site – do I have a virus?

That is a phony virus alert from a web page (or banner ad) which pops it up.  Your Mac does not have a virus. But it MAY have some trojan horse malware that you installed — did the video site … Continue reading

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