Wednesday 15 March 2017

A Victim of Malware - No Thanks

I haven't posted in awhile because of an internet curiosity. Of course, we are all exposed to malware and I was the victim of a malware episode last week. As I recount what I did, I want to hit myself on the head and call myself stupid; however, what is done is done and because I own a MAC, I believe that I was not "infected" as such. Although I do understand that malware can use multiple techniques to conceal itself and that still enters my thoughts. At least, after talking to the techie at the MAC store, I do not believe that my computer has been violated as such; however . . . 

Here's what happened: After receiving an email (regarding my writing and payment) and "doing" what the "person" instructed me to do (?click fraud? - stylewe was the site assigned by the email) I received a warning message about malware. Of course it told me to call or contact a particular body with phone number given and to do it immediately. I didn't. I called the MAC store instead and although the techie was probably shaking his head as he listened to what I did, he did say that I did not do the most important thing and that was to follow the contact information to get rid of the malware. I am led to believe, that you have to actively go through a process to essentially install the malware on a MAC. And I am assuming that would be the advice I would get if I had followed the malware message on my screen. Thankfully I did not contact them to allegedly get rid of the malware or rather install the malware. Instead the MAC guy told me to shut off the computer and then to simply turn it on again. I did. No malware message and my computer seems to be working perfectly since then, without any messages to help me get rid of anything. Yet, my thoughts go back to the idea of concealment.

Knowing that the prime objective is to steal personal and financial information, I did change my passwords for my own peace of mind. I do very little financial business online; however it's not how much you do, you just have to have done it. That concerns me. I do learn from my mistakes.

You won't be reading anything from me in awhile. I have decided to take my computer in for a "checkup" just in case.  I have to remember a line from a Steven Seagal movie, "Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups."

3 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear about this bad experience with your computer. Computers make our life much easier or much more difficult depending if they're working the way we want them or not. It's sad when people are trying to be deceptive and try to take advantage of us thru our computers. If they would only put the same effort into being good citizens. Think how much greater this world would be.

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    1. Well said Brian!

      Like with any scam, people are reluctant to share information because it is an admission of not being wary and diligent enough, and of being naive. I usually am wary and will be even more so and that is a good thing. I am glad that I use a MAC.

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  2. As a kid growing up all I could think of was a Big Mac. Thankfully I've given up Big Mac's for just a Mac. Laptop, iPad and iPhone are my Macs of choice.

    Hugs my dear friend

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