Internet Doomsday...what?

[Sgt Floyd]

Sensationalism makes for better news, even if it causes mass panic over nothing in the process

 

[Tom Fraggle]

Sensationalism makes for better news, even if it causes mass panic over nothing in the process

How so true.

 

[Drtooth]

Okay... so I don't get it.

Is the virus supposed to be the thing that takes away the internet or the FBI?

Even then, something about this doesn't wash....

 

[Sgt Floyd]

From what I'm getting, a group of people started this virus that redirected those infected to go through their servers and websites and each time it happened they got money.

After they were busted, computers infected are still being redirected to their servers every time they go online. The FBI is going to be shutting down these servers. With the servers gone, there is nothing to redirect the people to, cutting off their access to the internet, because the DNS is invalid

 

[Drtooth]

After they were busted, computers infected are still being redirected to their servers every time they go online. The FBI is going to be shutting down these servers. With the servers gone, there is nothing to redirect the people to, cutting off their access to the internet, because the DNS is invalid

And this can't be fixed... why

Sounds like the FBI should have done something about that as well... even kept the "safety net" up a lot longer. Are there going to be new servers?

Something tells me the telecoms aren't going to let that happen. They stand to lose a crap load of money in this deal. And even if they still charge for servers that are inactive, there could be legal action against that sort of thing which will cause them to lose more money than they'd gain.

All and all, it doesn't make too much sense.

 

[Sgt Floyd]

Alright, re-reading the article more carefully, the servers were set up by the government to help people infected stay online.

I'm still confused about the specifics though. Nothing is clear. I really doubt much, if anything, is going to come of this :/

 

[Sgt Floyd]

Hm...found this

DNS Redirection

Internet service providers (ISPs) such as Time Warner Cable and Optimum Online claim they're trying to help with DNS redirection, but the reality seems to come down to money. Domain Name System (DNS) redirection overrides your browser's normal behavior when you can't reach a webpage. Instead of displaying the normal 404 "File Not Found" error, the ISP sends you to a page of the ISP's choosing — usually a page full of paid advertising and links.
Innocent though that practice may be, computer viruses can do the same thing, redirecting your browser to a hostile page the first time you misspell a domain. With ISPs, you can opt out of their DNS redirection (you'll find links below all the ads); with viruses, stay on your toes. Make sure you know what your browser's default 404 page looks like, and take action if you see anything different.

 

[Drtooth]

I've accidentally seen those kind of pages when a website isn't renewed or I put a .com where a .org needs to be in place (two whole times)... so I still don't get it. Are they making mock webpages that I probably wouldn't go to, or are they masking actual webpages or what?

 

[Sgt Floyd]

I think the virus makes computers redirect to the virus maker's pages that are like that, which makes them money somehow

 

[Muppet fan 123]

Does anyone know what websites were affected by this?