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

Weaving in the Social/Emotional Content...

Common Core standards. District initiatives. Testing and more testing. Challenging curriculum and enrichment.

In our daily hustle and bustle, when is there time to address the social-emotional aspect of gifted education?

That’s been a question I have struggled with ever since I began teaching gifted children about six years ago.

I’ve read dozens of articles and books on the topic and tried all kinds of clever ways to expose my students to perfectionism, sensitivity,...

Bell Ringer Activity: Oldest Time...

Very Cool: Oldest Time Capsule in USA dates back to 1795! (Bell Ringer) 

Perhaps, you can use this in your classrooms:
Using the News as a Bell Ringer Activity:

While fixing a leak,...

The Global Search for Education: Good...

"If you simply want to have the most toys at the end of life, you might get away with Bad or Compromised Grit. But if you pursue goals beyond self-aggrandizement, as the aforementioned heroes have done, then you can do well both for yourself and for the world."  --  Howard Gardner

...

"Tips to Startup a Start Up...

 
Startups are a trendy thing...

The 104th NCTE Annual Conference...

By Erik Bean

The main Washington, D.C. Gaylord Convention Center exhibit hall proved to be an effective delivery and visitation mechanism for the various publishing, corporate, scholarship, presentations,...

It's That Time of Year: Charles...

Today, a person who is very tight with money, is often called a scrooge, after, the main character in A Christmas Carol. Did you know that several other words and phrases were coined by Charles Dickens?

...

The Global Search for Education:...

"It requires tremendous emotional intelligence, self-understanding, wisdom, maturity, and confidence to maintain a minimal interventionist attitude while offering non-judgmental support and encouragement.  Teachers and students are the real stars of any great...

Holiday Writing Prompt: A Day in the...

christmas tree

Have kids draw/color a picture of a Christmas Tree. Exchange drawings with other students to write descriptive words on the back of the drawing. Encourage students to write descriptive phrases and not just one word. Using the comments, have the students write a "Day in the Life...

Transforming STEM Interest Into STEM...

According to a recent report released by ACT, student interest in STEM – science, technology, engineering, and math – continues to grow. In its latest study of ACT test takers, nearly 900,000 students, or half of the total sample, demonstrated an interest in STEM subjects.

Certainly, even a small uptick in students’ interest in STEM is a positive trend. As a nation, we know that STEM literacy is a non-negotiable in both college and career readiness. We also know that it is quickly...

The Global Search for Education: What’...

"A major factor of our success has been improved management at every level.  We had good, focused attention from the chief minister and a really good team of officials in Lahore."  --  Sir Michael Barber

I had the pleasure of talking to Sir Michael Barber (Chief Education...

Pages