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For those who pooh-pooh computer viruses

MarkB_MI

MarkB_MI

Well-known Member
Location
Motown USA
The Air Force can't keep the computers that control their Predator drones free of infection. And these machines aren't even connected to the internet.

Anyone running a Windows PC without up-to-date antivirus is deluding himself if he thinks his computer isn't infected. The most dangerous viruses, keystroke loggers, NEVER announce their presence. They just quietly report your account numbers and passwords to their controllers in Russia.

Best solution, if you have to do online banking on a Windows PC, is to use a Linux "live" CD to boot up in Linux to do your banking. Even if your PC is compromised (unlikely with Linux), the read-only CD can't become infected.
Virus infects US drones
 
John,
You forgot the picture.

madre.jpg
 
Thats EXACTLY the picture,,,,,,"The Treasure of Sierra Madre" Humphrey Bogart, John Huston (him not Walter, correct??) and Tim Holt

John T
 
How the computers got infected and whether or not they're actually reporting information is of course a matter of speculation, and the Air Force isn't saying much. And it doesn't seem to be clear if the virus actually targeted the Predators, or was just another random infection. Anyone clever enough to write a virus that can hitchhike on removable media can figure out how to send data back to the internet over the same media.

Of course, in order to communicate with their drones, communications have to go across various networks, all of which SHOULD be secure. But all it takes is one incorrectly configured firewall to compromise the entire network.
 


Mark the problem there is that Apple or Linux isn't imune...THEY ARE NOT immune.....just not enough people are using those to make it worth someones effort to write the viruses to infect them. Apple never had an attack until after Jobs bragged about that fact in a news interview. Within 24 hours of that statement Apple was attacked. The OS isn't going to protect you, only user caution and good anti viral software will. They will get around to attacking Linux when they feel there are enough users. You can bet your bottom dollar if everyone switch to Linux tomorrow within hours they would be attacked.

As far as the military is concerned with the drones, someone most likely brought something in, maybe a flash drive with pictures to share with co-workers of something else innocent and transfered the virus in if they are as someone claimed not connected to the net.

If and if and when you can tell me that Linux will have all the features of Windows, that includes plug and play compatability with ALL of my hardware and sofware plus ease of operation will I even think about switching. I keep no personal or banking info on my puter! Don't even use plastic, pay for everything up front.

Rick
 
old news.. the military has banned the use of usb drives due to this virus being spread from machine to machine.
 
Life comes only from life. Like old tanker says, some one brought that in to the system.
I have a good ISP here and virus protection. I have not had a problem in over a year or two,
On the other hand, I helped my friend set up a computer for his wife's sewing machine. We went on line to set it up and in 10 minutes we had two viruses before we installed protection.
So don't let up on your protection.
This is like flu vaccinations, if enough people are protected, then it does not spreed.
 
(quoted from post at 06:46:42 10/08/11) old news.. the military has banned the use of usb drives due to this virus being spread from machine to machine.
Click to expand...


That only means "if they get caught".....

Rick
 
Tanker, it is true that Linux is not immune to virus infection. But it is also true that it is inherently more secure than any version of Windows, and that 99 percent of malware targets Windows. So you are statistically much safer running a recent version of Linux than you are running a recent version of Windows with anti-virus.

Now you mention hardware compatibility. That was an issue at one time with Linux, but really isn't anymore. In fact, most hardware vendors make sure drivers for their products are added to the Linux kernel before they ship their products. But I'm not saying you have to give up your beloved Windows. Just use a bootable CD, such as Knoppix, when you need to make financial transactions. You don't need much in the way of hardware support (although Knoppix is known for being compatible with a wide range of hardware), you just need to be able to get online. When you're done, reboot and go back to playing Leisure Suit Larry or whatever it is you do with your PC.

Now, you're right that the safest thing is to not do any financial transactions online. Whether or not that is practical is another thing. I guess you never order anything on the web, and you don't do any eBay or PayPal transactions. Whatever works for you.
 
It is the virus that doesn't make itself known, and which your antivirus doesn't detect that you have to worry about. What you don't know CAN hurt you.
 
I have no proof but feel people have broken into our dearest on line auction system, _bay. Too many times people have outbid me by a penny at the last second. It almost can't be by chance.
 
I bought Avira and Malwarebytes a year ago. Got hit 3 times before we put that on the computer. Run a scan using one or the other every day. Haven't had a problem since loading the Avira & Malwarebytes. Well worth the $.
 
(quoted from post at 07:04:56 10/08/11) Tanker, it is true that Linux is not immune to virus infection. But it is also true that it is inherently more secure than any version of Windows, and that 99 percent of malware targets Windows. So you are statistically much safer running a recent version of Linux than you are running a recent version of Windows with anti-virus.

Now you mention hardware compatibility. That was an issue at one time with Linux, but really isn't anymore. In fact, most hardware vendors make sure drivers for their products are added to the Linux kernel before they ship their products. But I'm not saying you have to give up your beloved Windows. Just use a bootable CD, such as Knoppix, when you need to make financial transactions. You don't need much in the way of hardware support (although Knoppix is known for being compatible with a wide range of hardware), you just need to be able to get online. When you're done, reboot and go back to playing Leisure Suit Larry or whatever it is you do with your PC.

Now, you're right that the safest thing is to not do any financial transactions online. Whether or not that is practical is another thing. I guess you never order anything on the web, and you don't do any eBay or PayPal transactions. Whatever works for you.
Click to expand...


LOL yer right I don't do on line transactions at all. I quit using Ebay a few years ago. I can find anything I want in the local area or with a day trip to the twin cities.

Rick
 
John is in it too. He"s the fellow who gave several silver dollars to Bogart in Tampico at the first part of the film.

KIP
 
This computer is nearly 4 years old.
It had Norton antivirus on it when I bought it that was good for 6 months or so. When it expired I got tired of being hounded to renew and removed Norton from the system. I have every oem Windows firewall and virus protection disabled.
I am running NO virus protection whatsoever. Been that way for nearly 3 1/2 years and you can see I'm still posting here.
I do not go to strange sites. I do not go to naughty sites. I do not do my banking online, renew my car license, apply for a hunting license or use my credit card online. I get my email through Yahoo which is scanned by Norton.
Files and photos that are valuable to me I save to CD.
What does it cost for a year's worth of Norton protection? $50? $80? More?
Lets say it costs $80.
What does a new computer cost these days?
$400 for a run of the mill desktop?
3 1/2 years X $80/year = $280
YOU can buy all the protection you want.
I'll buy a new computer if this one pukes or gets infected. Have a couple of CDs with my stuff on it scanned by the computer wizard kid at the computer store near me for $25 before I reload it on the new one.
"The wicked flee though no one pursues them"
I sleep - and surf - without fear.
 
One of the worst trojans I ever had on my computer I got while looking for plans for sawhorses.


Ichabod
 
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