War on Computer Viruses

Thank you Dan Reilly for your article, 12 Sneakiest Computer Viruses, on Switched.com. My computer guru was right.  If you check my Forced Vacation blog from October 8th, you’ll know what happened to The Wit Continuum’s computer.  I was quite boggled about what had happened, even though all is well and I’m safe and secure, but one of the Continuum’s alumni brought this fantastic article to my attention. 

Here’s the virus that got me:

“Last month, a family of Malware called Rogue Security applications comprised over 60% of computer threats. Much like the fake Norton Link, the variations of this Trojan convince users to download security programs that intend to control your computer and rip you off.  Most often, they’re download from those popup ads that say your computer is infected, leading you to download the file even if you try to close the window.  There are many versions of this Trojan, some of which resist anti-virus programs, so be very careful, but for starters, make sure your browser’s pop-up blocker is enabled.”

More: 12 Sneakiest Computer Viruses

And we were right about this scam wanting credit card numbers and identification.  A comment posted to Reilly’s article stated that the person had purchased the “fake security” for $29.95 and gave his debit card number, subsequently his entire bank account was cleaned out.