Malware Computer Virus to Take Away Online Access
By Charlene Cooper | Jul 05, 2012 02:56 PM EDT
Warnings about possible internet issues in the coming days have been publicized through Facebook and Google and internet service providers have informed the FBI.
Despite the FBI's efforts to create a website for the problem, thousands of people may still lose online access in the coming week due to malware.
The amount of computers infected with the malware virus is predicted to be over 277,000 around the world. This is an improvement from April's numbers that showed 360,000 computers infected. Of the computers still infected by the virus, the FBI predicts that close to 64,000 are in the United States.
Those with infected computers will not be able to go online on Monday and will be forced to contact their service providers for guidance on how to delete the malware virus and connect to the internet.
This all comes after international hackers started an online advertising scam that took over more than 570,000 virus infected computers worldwide.
When the FBI went to crack down on the culprits last year, they noticed that turning off the servers would result in people losing access to internet all around the world.
As a means of keeping internet access available, the FBI hired a private company to install clean internet servers to control the malicious servers. The temporary service is scheduled to shut down at 12:01 a.m. EDT Monday, July 9.
Facebook and Google have tried to do their part in warning internet users of the shutdown, as most people are not even aware that their computers are infected with the virus.
Facebook users will receive messages that say, "Your computer or network might be infect," and will connect users to a link with further information. Google sent out a similar message to users via its Google search results page, and gives users information on how to fix the problem.
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