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pcernie
Legend
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:30 pm Posts: 45931 Location: Belfast
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http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.c ... d=3202109&Haven't read this myself yet, but it'll be interesting to see where it goes... Not that it'll really stop this sort of thing happening in the future 
_________________Plain English advice on everything money, purchase and service related:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/
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Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:17 am |
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l3v1ck
What's a life?
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:21 am Posts: 12700 Location: The Right Side of the Pennines (metaphorically & geographically)
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MS are doing something good for the public? Hell just froze over. Seriously, this is a good move from MS.
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Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:34 pm |
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rustybucket
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:10 pm Posts: 5836
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Please don't flame me but wouldn't stopping this phenomenon be better achieved by making Windows more secure? Wouldn't MS's energies be better directed at their operating system rather than litigation? Just me then. 
_________________Jim
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Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:46 pm |
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gavomatic57
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:30 pm Posts: 1757 Location: Cardiff, Wales
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Well, you could look at it that way. On the other hand, this scareware shows up a big hole in their operating systems - first they tell you that your system is insecure (although, it is flawed as they show up on linux and OSX too) and then proves it by installing itself on your system and playing silly buggers with your files. This makes Windows look bad...and by extension, MS too.
_________________ G.
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Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:50 pm |
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saspro
Site Admin
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:53 pm Posts: 8603 Location: location, location
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The idea of these programs is that after you see the warning box you install it manually by clicking the link. This could effect users of all systems.
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Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:00 pm |
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rustybucket
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:10 pm Posts: 5836
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Does this happen with every browser (in vanilla config) or just with IE?
_________________Jim
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Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:03 pm |
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big_D
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:25 pm Posts: 10691 Location: Bramsche
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All browsers on all platforms (if JavaScript is enabled). The malware is probably only aimed at Windows, so will only cause a problem if a user is dumb enough not to spot that it is a web page they are looking at, purporting to be from software they haven't installed and doesn't look anything like their actual malware software... 
_________________ "Do you know what this is? Hmm? No, I can see you do not. You have that vacant look in your eyes, which says hold my head to your ear, you will hear the sea!" - Londo Molari
Executive Producer No Agenda Show 246
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Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:26 pm |
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cloaked_wolf
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:46 pm Posts: 10022
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But then the security software companies complain about not being able to produce software for Vista, which is what happened. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
_________________ He fights for the users.
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Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:04 pm |
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F_A_F
Occasionally has a life
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:52 pm Posts: 266 Location: Truro
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Yup. And if you do make Windows more secure by adding "Do you really want to install this?" bubbles, the wags of the internet start complaining that they are sick of Vista popups and what a crock Vista is. All I know is on my XP PC, my Mrs was always cliCking one box or another and getting us in the [LIFTED]. Now as soon as she sees the "do you really want to install?" box on Vista, she checks with me first 
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Sat Sep 19, 2009 1:27 am |
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big_D
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:25 pm Posts: 10691 Location: Bramsche
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To be honest, this is social engineering, not a security flaw in Windows... It will only affect the machines of people dumb enough to click through...
_________________ "Do you know what this is? Hmm? No, I can see you do not. You have that vacant look in your eyes, which says hold my head to your ear, you will hear the sea!" - Londo Molari
Executive Producer No Agenda Show 246
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Sat Sep 19, 2009 5:04 am |
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l3v1ck
What's a life?
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:21 am Posts: 12700 Location: The Right Side of the Pennines (metaphorically & geographically)
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Even if Windows was 99% more secure, you'd still need Anti-Virus for the other 1%. So people not in the know would still fall for this scam.
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Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:28 am |
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