The Virus Alert Blog » Computer Virus In The News

Uh-Oh, Computer Virus Takes Down Some Police Officers

Mark — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:59:13 +0000

The police are there to protect the public from the evils that are out there. Here is an amusing story though about a computer virus that took down some police officers. It seems that these officers frequented some dating sites that released a computer virus onto the department’s computer network. It was traced to this one particular area of the department and the officers were shifted back to street work.

Yet another reason to watch what websites you frequent when you are at work, computer viruses can negatively impact people in a number of different ways.

Even Presidential Politics Can Invite A Computer Virus

Mark — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:07:47 +0000

Here is a virus warning for those that are interested in the world of politics. There is an email floating around that contains a computer virus and the subject line usually involves the name of one of the candidates, Barack Obama and has something to do with sex. This type of subject is often used, as it creates interest and sometimes entices people to open it up. Here is an article with more information on this new virus out there.

Computer Virus Shuts Down Orange County’s Deeds Office

Mark — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:04:31 +0000

Computer viruses don’t just attack private individuals in their own home, they also attack businesses and government agencies. Here is an example of a government entity that had to shut part of its computer network down because of a computer virus. Orange County had to make its Register of Deeds Office unavailable to users recently.

Computer Virus Shuts Down Berkeley County Public Schools Internet

Mark — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:39:39 +0000

Pointing out how incredibly devastating a virus attack can be on a larger network of computers, late last week the computer network run by the Berkeley County Schools in the Charleston, South Carolina area was attacked by a computer virus. The school shut down most of the system, including internet access, to prevent the spread of the virus. Some files on some computers were affected, but after techs worked last Thursday and Friday, and then through the weekend, all systems have been restored. No word of how much this cost or what normal functions of the schools couldn’t be functioned because of this, but lets just assume that it was a bit more than inconvenient.

This is another reminder to always stay vigilant when protecting your computer or network from computer viruses.

Getting The Word Out About Mobile Phone Computer Viruses

Mark — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:35:06 +0000

Most know that to protect their home computer, laptop, or network that they need to have secure and updated anti-virus software. Many people are not aware that there are viruses out there that can also attack mobile phones. In society today, we have all become more and more dependent on our cellphones and mobile devices. If they are rendered useless or the data on them is compromised, it can negatively impact our lives greatly. Here is an article detailing what is happening with mobile phone viruses and how to protect yourself from them.

Churches Fall Victim To Computer Viruses

Mark — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:29:05 +0000

Many people, especially those that are religious, have a special place in their hearts for churches. It is particularly upsetting then when bad things happen to churches. There is apparently a computer virus out there that attacks churches or religious institutions. It may come from a website that churches would visit, but it is particularly destructive and in these two reported cases it got past pretty reliable anti-virus programs. Just more innocent victims of virus programmers.

Be Careful Switching From Physical Servers

Mark — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:18:14 +0000

Changing an online business’s strategy from using physical servers to using virtual machines can open them up to a whole new problem as far as internet security. Whether you’re talking about data theft, computer virus exposure, or any other kind of security flaw, a virtual machine is more apt to be hit than a physical server. Check out this article to learn more about the risks of changing your system or network over.

Could The Presidential Election Be Affected By Hackers?

Mark — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:36:30 +0000

Check out this article about the effects that hackers could have on the Presidential election? Its kind of a scary proposition, but entirely realistic too, if hackers can access ATMs, banking systems, and other high security computer networks then it is reasonable to think they could gain access to the election systems. The effects of this would be catastrophic… a re-vote? someone behind the tampering? It would be the biggest political news ever.

Autistic Teenager Pleads Guilty To Unleashing $26M Bot Attack

Mark — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:04:08 +0000

An autistic teenager from New Zealand recently pleaded guilty to unleashing a $26M bot attack that’s ramifications were felt worldwide. The FBI considers cyber crime to be third on it’s list of things to focus on, trailing only counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence.

Beware Of Computer Virus Named: Virus Heat

Mark — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:07:42 +0000

Reports have begun to trickle out about residents in at least one area getting hit by a computer virus. It is actually made to look like you have a computer virus and the only way to get rid of it is to purchase the software they recommend to get rid of it. You guessed it, the software provider is the one giving you the “virus” in the first place. Always be skeptical before spending money online.