Search form

Back to Blog

Web Giants Warn of Malware

FBITwo giants of the Internet want to make sure you can still get to them after July 9.

Google and Facebook are actively scanning the computers of their users to find some of the nearly 1 million people who have been infected with the DNSChanger malware in the U.S. Google is displaying a warning across the top of its search results page, while Facebook has placed a similar warning at the top of its post-login page. If a user’s computer is infected, Google and Facebook will know and display the warning. Users who are not infected will see no warning at all.

With so many computers potentially impacted by the DNSChange malware, it is no surprise that these two mega-sites want to help eliminate it. Any machine afflicted with the DNSChanger will not be able to connect to the Internet after July 9.

As reported by CNet, the whole problem goes back to an online criminal ring from 2007 that was tinkering with computers' settings and then directing users to rogue servers that the criminals had set up. These servers then re-directed users to malicious Web sites. Late last year, the FBI arrested the ring and seized the rogue servers. But since so many infected computers relied on the servers to reach the Internet, the agency opted not to shut them down and instead converted them to legitimate DNS machines. Due to the high cost associated with operating these servers, the FBI has decided to shut them down on July 9, leaving any infected computer that has not been fixed with no way to reach the Internet.

The Google and Facebook warnings offer links to information on how to remove the DNSChange malware. Anyone who thinks he may be a victim is encouraged to run a Google search, or log in to Facebook to find out for sure.

More

CCSS Awareness, Assessment Literacy

My family lives in a PARCC state. For months, we have heard from our school district about preparing for the upcoming PARCC assessment. This has been a particularly “interesting” time for our house, as it will be the first time one of the kiddos is slated to take a state exam.

In recent weeks, the talk shifted to my son and his need to take two rounds of PARCC tests this spring. The first will begin in just a few short weeks, and will run through much of March. The second...

Learning about the Apple Distinguished...

On Sunday February 22, 2015, Apple Distinguished Educator Jon Corippo joined the TechEducator Podcast to discuss the process of becoming an ADE.  In this excerpt from the show, Jon talks about the...

What will be the most significant...

(Left to right top row: Adam Steiner, Susan Bowles, Richard Wells, Todd Finley/Middle row: Vicki Davis, Lisa Currie, C. M. Rubin, Pauline Hawkins, Joe Bower/Bottom row: Craig Kemp, Silvia Tolisano, Tom Bennett, Karen Lirenman) 

...

Celebrating World Book Day March 5th

World Book Day!


Did you know that March 5 is World Book Day?  The day was established 17...

A Can't Miss Lesson for Gifted...

Want a full-proof lesson for gifted students?

Read on.

I learned this lesson from a colleague, and it works really well with a variety of subjects. First, I need to refer to Bloom’s taxonomy (revised version), which features six levels of thinking.  At the bottom, students simply memorize facts and regurgitate them. At the highest level of the pyramid, students synthesize information and create-the most complex thinking.

These higher-levels are what you want to aim...

Teacher: The Dream Role in the Pursuit...

What are the differences between happy teachers and unhappy teachers? While I have no data, I can say after 44 years in this ever-changing, fast-paced, engaging and spirited profession, I am happy! I owe it to some of the following:

Love vs. Fear I address each student as I have been taught; teach each as if she/he was my own. I want their successes, happiness, and inquiry to be central to my daily work. Each...

The Global Search for Education: The...

"The use of online assessment tools is giving teachers a more fine-grained understanding of individual students’ skills, and assisting them to determine the necessary next steps to enable them to achieve their own learning goals. We are seeing more effective differentiation in classrooms as a result".

--  Susan Mann

I am delighted to welcome back today to The Global Search for Education, Susan Mann, CEO of Education Services...

Black History Month: Did You Know?

Black History Month:

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, organized a two week period in February,in 1926, to highlight contributions of African Americans. In 1976, the month of February was established as Black History Month.
The month of February was selected as it was the month in which both Frederick Douglass(abolitionist) and Abraham Lincoln (Emancipation Proclamation)were born.  Black History Month is...

The Global Search for Education: How to...

"Highly effective schools in Australia are not different from highly effective schools anywhere. They have a strong focus on continual improvement, often with explicit school-wide goals for improving current school practices and levels of student achievement". -- Geoff Masters

In his paper “Is School Reform Working?” Professor Geoff Masters (Chief Executive Officer, Member of the Board Australian Council for Educational Research) explores whether or not the policy...

Did You Know? Fun Presidential Trivia...

Presidents’ Day is coming!

Share some fun facts about our Presidents:

  • Did You know that President John Quincy Adams had a pet alligator?
  • President Martin Van Buren had two tiger cubs.
  • President George W. Bush (first term) and Benjamin Harrison were two presidents elected without the majority of the people (they had the most electoral votes but not the most popular votes).
  • ...

Pages