Ebola Comes to the US

Captain Trips is a bitch.

Oh, here we go. As a voracious reader of Robin Cook and Stephen King over the years, this is just the scary thing that resonates with me. I'm heartened that it's difficult to catch Ebola, and that its gestation is so fast that people don't go around as carriers for extended periods. That should keep it from becoming an epidemic here. But yikes, let's hope this is one time that truth is stranger than truth. Meanwhile, we can delight in how FOX News and Right Wing world will turn this into: a) President Obama's fault, and b) somehow a distraction from and related to Benghazi.

[Excerpt]

First U.S. case of Ebola diagnosed in Texas after man who came from Liberia falls ill

A man who flew from Liberia to Dallas this month was diagnosed with Ebola on Tuesday, becoming the first person to board a passenger jet and unknowingly bring the disease here from West Africa, where it has killed thousands of people in recent months. . .

Read more at: Washington Post

Computer Woes Solved? Multi-browser, Multi-system Malware Stopped! [I Hope]

Me, until a couple of hours ago.

Noted here in the last couple of posts, I've been beset by computer woes since some time mid-weekend. Somehow, all of our devices were plagued by malware, weird ads and attempts to get us to install various software. Neither of us knows how it happened, but I seem to have sort of solved the problem. I think. It's too early for cartwheels.

But I'm going to explain in as detailed a way as I can, so that if you have a similar problem, you can try the same thing.

We were getting popups, over-sized browser windows with either a) legit looking ads, b) fake looking ads, c) alerts to either install or upgrade video players, plugins and whatnot, and d) actual attempts to install files, all you have to do is click "ok." Fortunately, both of us here are smart enough not to install anything, though the source of this problem remains a mystery. And that's not all. Clunky, ugly, blinking, 90s-style "scare" ads started showing up in areas of web pages that ordinarily hold Google AdSense-type ads. But the weirdest part is, this was all of the sudden happening on a Windows 8 PC, a Windows 7 PC, a MacBook Pro running Mavericks, and a Galaxy S4 phone running Android Kit Kat.  And on these devices, it was happening in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari, variously. Weird, right?

Didn't matter what device or operating system.

I called Cox, our internet provider, because even though I'd run every malware and virus program I could think of, the devices themselves were insisting that they were clean. It must, I thought, be either the router or the modem. The first lady was nice as could be, but had no idea what my problem might be. The second tier of help was too smart for me, two or three notches ahead of my experience level (which isn't ordinarily too shabby). But she got me the solution that is holding at the moment:

Factory reset the wireless router. Rename the router. Change the password, and keep it complicated. Then, I restarted all of the devices, one-by-one got them onto the network with the new settings. Also, I opened the internet pages I knew to be experiencing phony ads. I then reloaded the pages holding the shift key in. Poof, the bad ads

Didn't matter what browser either, though it
affected different browsers on different
devices.

disappeared. For reals. So far, the popup ads seem to be gone as well. On all systems.

So, though I won't even pretend to understand where this came from or what was really going on, it's clear that this goofy malware was coming through the router and running clean, because no anti-virus or anti-malware software could even see it running. Doesn't this sound kind of new to you? I've certainly never heard of it.

EDITED TO ADD: The Cox tech lady also advised me to assign individual MAC addresses to individual devices, somthing that is both a little outside my experience level, AND, seems to me like it would be awkward when we have guests, or want to add devices. So, I'll reserve that trick for if this bizarre occurrence ever happens again.

Mac Bug Infects Hundreds of Thousands

Image from source, TPM, which is for some reason showing some
really old Macs. They don't age well, do they?

I'm on my second Mac, if my PowerBook counts (it didn't say "Mac" anywhere), in addition to my regular Intel PCs at home and at work. Other than brief ownership of an iPod Nano and the Apple IIe we used in high school, that's pretty much the sum total of my experience with Apple products. So far--though I'm pleased with my MacBook Pro, I'm just not in love. I don't understand the otherwordly allure the brand has for so many. No way in hell would I wait in line overnight for the latest iGizmo.

But the one thing Apple is supposed to promise is that their products are virtually impervious to viruses, adware and the like. It hasn't turned out that way, I have on two occasions landed on pages that I had to force quit my way out of (in one case, it took several reboots, and a freeware program to dispose of it). I'm starting to think that Cult of Mac fanatics are covering for Cupertino. Especially when you read this:

[Excerpt]


Mac Botnet Has Infected Over Half a Million Computers

A long time ago, one of the reasons to get a Macintosh computer was that there were few nasty viruses or other malicious junk floating around that could affect your machine. However, this kind of attitude can only lead to trouble and now the Russian security company Doctor Web says that one particular trojan called Backdoor.Flashback.39 has infected over 550,000 Apple computers. . .

Read more at: Talking Points Memo

Science is Cool WEIRD: Zombie Caterpillers!

This is freaky. A virus that compels a caterpillar to essentially commit suicide. It's like that incredibly bad movie, The Happening, if Marky Mark were a caterpiller. But the way the dead caterpillar then infects his family and friends? Well, that's just brutal. Mother Nature is a mean ol' biddy.

[Excerpt]

"I'ma kill you. . .right after I kill myself."
Image from source, Live Science

Zombie Caterpillars Rain Death From Treetops

A single gene in a caterpillar virus sends its victims running for the treetops, where they die and their bodies liquefy, sending an ooze of virus particles on their brothers and sisters below. . .

Read more at: Live Science


Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

Science is Cool: Potential Cure for HIV?

This could be huge.  Experts have always said that if HIV could be cured, many other diseases could be close behind. Let's hope so.

[Excerpt]

Image from source, Huffington Post

Stem Cell Transplant Cures HIV In 'Berlin Patient'

On the heels of World AIDS Day comes a stunning medical breakthrough: Doctors believe an HIV-positive man who underwent a stem cell transplant has been cured as a result of the procedure. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Halloween Horrors: Greenlee Gazette Hit with Virus!!!

As a computer guru (that's what they call me anyway), I often roll my eyes at folks who "accidentally" install a bogus program, because they were fooled by a fake alert.  Many's the computer I've had to perform CPR upon after somebody installed one of these devious programs. Then it happened to me.

Whatever you do, don't fall for this alert.

Yesterday, I was looking up something on Google or Bing, I think it was a photo of some celebrity that was in one of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies (it wasn't porn, I swear). Anyway, I got one of those bogus alerts, but I thought I dismissed it. But afterward, I got a few legitimate alerts from my McAfee software. It was obnoxious, but McAfee seemed to be handling it ok.

Then, today, I turned on the monitor (having left the computer on), and was confronted with a Microsoft Security Alert.  Here's where I should point out that while I've had Windows 7 for a while, I have infinitely more experience with XP, Vista, 98, 95 and the rest. So, while my first tipoff should have been the verbiage in the window, and the fact that I'd never seen it before, I was fooled.  Whoever came up with the graphics for this thing is a pro.  The bogus alert told me it found a solution, but needed to restart. At this point, I wasn't yet suspicious.  Upon reboot, a window came up immediately that said: "ThinkPoint: World's Leading Security Solution."  Never having heard of this, once again, my antennae should have gone up.  But again, the graphics were terrific, including a Windows logo. 

If you get to this screen, it's too late.

That's when it started rattling off a bunch of "found" problems, and by now the combination of familiar verbiage and the familiarity of the fake scan caused panic.  I immediately hit CTRL+ALT+DEL, and was able to shut the freakin' thing down. But, after that, it doesn't let you open any programs, leaves you with a black screen, and makes you feel like an idiot.

I managed like I often do, to stumble my way through in such a way that I can't even piece together what I did to make it stop terrorizing me.  I got some hints on the interwebz, and managed to get a system restore to complete and get me around the rogue program.  Right now, I'm running every damned thing I can to make sure it's extinguished for good.  If you have run into the same thing I did, here's the site that helped me the most:  DeleteMalWare.Blogspot.com, which is where I culled the images.

By the way, the creators of this crap are downright evil. Had to be said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, I'm aware that this isn't exactly a "virus," though I suppose it sort of implants Trojan horse viruses as part of its work.  But I've found that "virus" has become a catch-all word for any malware or other PC "infection," at least by the public at large.  Kind of how my boss thinks the verb "download" is a multi-purpose word that applies to anything computer related!

Windows Not Responding. . .Why the Hell Not?

I'm presently working on reconstructing a neighbor's infected computer, something I do from time to time. She'd unwittingly installed an "anti-virus" program which is really a scam. Insidious bugger too, tangling its feelers into all sorts of places on the computer (it's called "Personal Antivirus" just in case you ever run across it. DO NOT install it, it is garbage).

But this sort of challenge has always been fun for me, so that is not what is bugging me. The neighbor's computer is a Windows XP system, and I'm very comfortable with that. The computer I'm using at the moment is a Windows Vista Home Basic system, and my desktop computer in the other room uses Windows Vista Home Premium. Unlike many users, I really don't have much of a problem with Vista, short of a relative lack of familiarity with it, as opposed to XP or Windows 95/98/Me.

But there is one maddening element of Vista that drives me to distraction. I usually run Internet Explorer and America Online at the same time, and use them in tandem (probably much to the horror of FireFox, Mac and Linux users). I run the blog and its attendant services in IE, and do all of my reading and research in AOL. This works out great, until it doesn't. I'll ALT+TAB over to AOL from IE, and I'll get that shiny blue spinning "O" cursor, which is a replacement for the spinning hourglass. This may go on for many seconds, and out of frustration I'll click the mouse. At this point, the screen fades to white, like a fog has descended over Windows-land.

Even though this happens with some frequency, I'll try to go back to the other program. But ALT+TABBING either doesn't work, or it works in a molassessy time warp. Occasionally, if the ALT+TAB brings up the "open programs" window, it will be slightly out of focus, and frozen in place. Moving the mouse down to the toolbar only changes the cursor from the "O" to a double-edged arrow, as though it is trying to resize the toolbar. This can go on for 30, 45, even 60 seconds before the system starts to respond. And there is no consistent pattern for when it happens, and I have no idea why it happens. Always, there is a message in the title bar: "Not Responding." And my unanswered question is still: "Why the hell NOT?"

I'd chalk it up to the weak Celeron chip in my notebook computer, were it not for the fact that my desktop does this too, and it has a Core 2 Duo in it. I'm willing to concede that it might be AOL, which has always had a disturbing ability to disrupt the multi-tasking abilities of any computer. I suppose it could also be Internet Explorer 8, or maybe the interplay between the two programs. Unfortunately for me, I've grown quite set in my ways, and will likely continue with this setup, despite the frustration. But I'd still like to know what the hell my computer is actually doing when it gets stuck in one of those loops.

Totally the Worst Computer Attack Ever!!!

Image from PublicRadio.org

Have you ever gotten one of those emails from a well-meaning friend that says something like:

"I usually do NOT send out Virus Alerts because so many are Hoaxes This One appears to be True and its best to be safe!"

They often follow with "I checked it out on Snopes, and it's for real!" They'll say that Microsoft calls it the worst attack ever, and that it will melt your hard drive, turn your monitor into an amber-on-black terminal, and delete all of your porn. Well, maybe not, but you get the idea.

They're almost always either hoaxes, or are blown all out of proportion. But this story--which reads very much like one of those emails--appears to actually be legit. So, update your Windows Update downloads, stay away from Internet Explorer, or get a Mac. And I say this as a Mac-phobe!

[Excerpt]

Worm Infects Millions of Computers Worldwide

A new digital plague has hit the Internet, infecting millions of personal and business computers in what seems to be the first step of a multistage attack. The world’s leading computer security experts do not yet know who programmed the infection, or what the next stage will be. . .

Read more at: New York Times

Microsoft to Offer Free Security Software

Microsoft has had egg on its face for quite a while with Windows Vista, and Apple has been happy to rub it in. I myself haven't had any problem with Vista, but I only have it on my notebook computer, which I don't use very often, so I'm not a good gauge.

Still, almost everybody uses Windows anyway, in one form or another. And most of us are stuck with several different security programs, some that cost money, others that are free. And almost all of them bog you down when they are running. So the idea of a free, Microsoft-branded security program that isn't a memory hog is fantastic, as far as I'm concerned.

Microsoft has had to fight many lawsuits over the programs it includes in Windows, but I've rolled my eyes at most of them. Apple doesn't get busted for including the kitchen sink in their operating software, so why should Microsoft? Security software is a natural inclusion. And if I may make a suggestion, a Print2Email type feature would be a natural too.

[Excerpt]

Microsoft Plans Free Software To Shield PCs

The Redmond, Wash., company said it plans to introduce its security software, code-named Morro, during the second half of next year in an effort to persuade more users to secure their PCs against spyware, viruses and other forms of "malware." Use of antimalware software is far from universal, especially in emerging markets. . .

Read more at: Wall Street Journal