My initial motive is to offer a bit of help to anyone who has seen the news reports this week about the DNSChanger Malware that all computer users (whether using MAC, Windows, or Linux, etc.) should be aware of and that the FBI and Interpol want computer users to understand. It is believed this malicious software is triggered to go into effect on Monday, July 9, 2012.
The DNSChanger was created by a band of Estonian hackers who have since been caught, though their malware still exists and can change search results and URLs to malicious sites and collect private info if they have infected individual computers. DNS, which stands for Domain Name System, is basically the Internet's phone book crossed with a map. Without it you may not be able to access the internet or may wind up viewing sites you don't want to see and having your info accessed by someone with a criminal intent. MOST computers in the United States are not believed to be infected, but authorities are advising against complacency in this instance. It is believed that 330, 000 computers worldwide are infected with the DNSChanger Malware, and 77,000 American computers are estimated to be among them.
Here is some of the most helpful and most succinct info I've found about this problem below. Originally, this was posted on Cnet earlier this week. [If you're not familiar with Cnet, it is a tech media website that publishes news, articles, blogs, and podcasts on technology and consumer electronics. Generally the info there is helpful, not just trying to sell you something]
Many computers and ISP companies supply some form of security, (such as The RoadRunner Security Suite, Windows Firewall/Defender), but many of us find that the free versions of AVG and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, for example, may be very useful for safeguarding your computer.How can I tell if I'm infected?
If you're in the United States, go to dns-ok.us or its parent site, the DNSChanger Working Group for computers based outside of the U.S. Click on the URL appropriate to your country, and you'll see an image with a green background if you're clean. A red background means you're infected.
Help! My computer's infected with DNSChanger. How can I fix it?
The DCWG has a list of free tools to download and instructions on how to clean a computer infected with DNSChanger.
How can I avoid malware like DNSChanger in the future?
Security suites aren't perfect, but they will protect you from the vast majority of threats out there including DNSChanger. Whether you're on Windows or Mac, Android or iOS, you really ought to have some kind of security program installed. And always double-check the URL before entering personal information into any kind of online text field or form, no matter what operating system or device you're using.