computer virus

[littleeak]

should we be panicking?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... warns.html

[gerryh]

Short answer, NO.
Provided your operating system is up to date with all the latest fixes and your security software is also up to date and you don't visit dodgy sites or open email attachments from people who you don't know and are not expecting an attachment from people you know, then don't panic.
Cheers
Gerry

[Beachcomber]

There is a UK government based web site called Get Safe Online:

https://www.getsafeonline.org/

which gives some information and advice but but at the moment it may be more appropriately named cantstayonline.org because it keeps on crashing and is only accessible for a few seconds at a time.

I'm not sure how valuable the information is because it mentions the likes of Symantec and McAfee as appropriate scanners for detecting the malware and these are probably two of the most useless antivirus programs on the internet. The only one I would trust in the list they give is F-Secure although I don't know much about Sophos and Kaspersky.

[Unicorn]

I had a similar thing about a couple of years ago when my screen just froze and a 'police notice' came up saying it would release for an amount of money. It looked quite convincing - Police Nacional . It implied that I had been looking at dodgy things, which I hadn't. My computer guy fixed it but apparently many people pay as they are worried someone else with access to the computer may have been looking at something dodgy. This latest one sounds like that with bells on.
It was in all sort of countries but I think they caught the people involved.

[firsttango]

GOZ ONLY affects Windows Operating Systems.

[gus-lopez]

GOZ ONLY affects Windows Operating Systems.

& not then if you have a Russian keyboard !

I just put the neighbours stuff up ( She uses my computer to talk to her Mum) now & then. Throw them off the scent !

[firsttango]

You can have a Mandarin/Arabic/JCUKEN (Latin) or any other Language Keyboard you desire but if running a Windows O.S then you are vulnerable unless you take the relevant precautions

[gus-lopez]

You can have a Mandarin/Arabic/JCUKEN (Latin) or any other Language Keyboard you desire but if running a Windows O.S then you are vulnerable unless you take the relevant precautions

" It is thought that the gang first check if a target’s keyboard is in Russian and only strike if it is another language. "

Or;
Это проверяет сначала, чтобы видеть, имеете ли вы Русскую клавиатуру / систему. Если так что это не будет нападать на вас.

That's what I was going by! they 're hardly likely to want to fall out with Vlad the impaler !

[firsttango]

Think it may be a tad larger and more sophisticated than a "gang". And if you think old Vlad would give a toss who they rob from as long as he gets his cut you are sadly deluded.....how do you think he got to be the "unofficial" richest man in the world...on his official salary (5.7 million rubles (£119,000) in 2013...I really dont think so!
But hey if you are running a Windows O.S and feel safe and sleep easier with a Russian Keyboard then good on you