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85 Comments
- thegreatsam, on 10/12/2007, -1/+38Great...so a hacker writes a virus that imitates something no one wants?
- bradleyland, on 10/12/2007, -2/+38Funny, I thought WGA *was* a virus when i first saw it.
- RetroRufio, on 10/12/2007, -14/+49I hope those mean hackers don't exploit the Linux Genuine Validation tool. Oh wait, I'm safe :)
- lordthor, on 10/12/2007, -3/+36When will the world learn -
Nothing good will ever come of AOL.
Anyway: "The message itself does not spoof someone in the user's Buddy list, it comes in from an unknown sender."
So don't accept messages from unknown senders.
There's a way to block unknown senders in the AIM Options (F3 from the buddylist window) - BillyEveryteen, on 10/12/2007, -2/+35"This is the Windows Genuine Validation tool. We are checking to see that you have a valid Windows license. In the mean time, would you like to see some vacation photos?"
- RetroRufio, on 10/12/2007, -4/+32my comment isn't anti-Windows, it's pro-Linux :)
- AcidBath, on 10/12/2007, -0/+27you mean it's *not* a virus?
- coffeepro, on 10/12/2007, -5/+31I'm not sure which is worse the virus or the sneaky Windows Genuine Validation tool.
- dhughes, on 10/12/2007, -7/+25 Yes because games are the only things people use computers for :/
- Matteos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16Its times like this that I am glad that I have no friends and nobody to use AIM with... ;)
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -6/+17get a mac
- gh02t, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12Its Instant Messenger, which far too many people (myself included) do use.
- meltingrobot, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11Kinda odd that this happens after Microsoft and Yahoo partner on IM....
- guytoronto, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15Quick! Somebody post "Get a Mac."
- DuoPros, on 10/12/2007, -7/+17Who says you have to pay for windows? ;-)
I must have 15 XP Pro disks lying around, plus a folder with valid codes.
(*borrrowed* from a certain school.) - vectorprime, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11...or install linux
- w00ters, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I'd say this virus is a testament to user stupidity more than anything else. What I don't understand (as the article does not say) is whether or not the virus executes merely by clicking the link or by linking to a virus and then user manually executing it.
- meltingrobot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8If you really do have a small one... have I got some email to forward to you.
- drwiii, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I'm surprised there are no viruses that change the product key and then deactivate Windows.
The confusion alone would bring product activation and the whole WGA experiment to a screeching halt. - gh02t, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9He says it disables the windows firewall... its a sleight to Microsoft that he says this isn't a threat, because the windows firewall is a joke anyway.
- micro506, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8@halleyscomet
...I really don't know how to respond to that... - akira117, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Does this affect Gaim too?
- DuoPros, on 10/12/2007, -15/+21Why do i get the idea that most of the people on digg who say they use linux, dont really?
Come on, be truthful, were all windows whores at heart. ;-). - gweedo767, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Anti-spyware? WGA isn't for spyware detection, it is for validating that your license for Windows is legit. It has many issues including that it was phoning home, wasn't detecting valid licenses as such (there in blocking those customers from getting certain updates and applications) and more.
- thegreatsam, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6@dhughes
I might not use Windows just for games, but since that's what I use it for 90% of the time, it's currently the only thing keeping me from running Linux at home. - w00ters, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5The other thing is users stupid enough to click this virus link will not be fooled by something "Posing as Microsoft's WGA" because I seriously doubt they even know what WGA is. Can't be fooled if you were clueless in the first place.
- dogshaft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Virus pretends to be WGA? Isn't it the other way around?
- thenutty1, on 10/12/2007, -7/+12I can do *it* too! :P
- FRAGaLOT, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8shaolinpunks:
This has nothing to do with Microsoft, but those retarded AOL users. Read the article before you blast Microsoft for something that AOL users are getting nailed with. You should be blasting AOL and their "secure faster Internet experience" they keep advertising for the past few years.
akria117:
it can effect GAIM users, but this isn't an exploit of AIM, this is a classic Trojan. It's more of an exploit of stupid AOL users who are gullible. It's like with other ways trojans and viruses get around. You're sent a file you didn't ask for from some unknown user, and the recipient is stupid enough to believe it's something they can use, and then execute it and end up infecting their machine. - PacoDEmu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5"i wonder if a digg spread virus would ever happen?"
It could happen. Although they would have to have the multiple accounts to get the story promoted to the frontpage. And once it got there, it would get trounced super fast due to the reporting system. - BassCadet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5If a Virus writer ever wanted to inflict some good on the world, this would be it.
WGA is a terrible PITA. - halleyscomet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@tungsai
Just dual boot into ReactOS
http://www.reactos.org/xhtml/en/index.html - micro506, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"WGA pretends to be Virus"? No it doesn't.
- vectorprime, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Like it or not, at least in my area/age group (southern US/20s) AIM/OSCAR is a de facto standard.
- Nougat, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Yeah, because Microsoft always deploys updates to operating systems by using random anonymous instant messages on a competitor's platform. Morons.
- catpounce004, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Any idiot who falls for this deserves *exactly* what they get.
- foxsynergy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Never underestimate the ability of hapless technoweenies to be suckered into oblivion.
- halleyscomet, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4First of all, its not about the anti-spyware package, but the anti piracy validation tool, which is believed to "phone home." You've confused two different pieces of software.
Second, yes, their Spyware tool is controversial. While I'm blanking on the exact program names, there's some malware packages that they identify, but don't flag for removal. They even list them as being safe.
There were a few other bits of controversy about competing anti-spyware products, but I can't recall any real details. - Derrekito, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I thought WGA was a virus! ;)
- SonofMaug, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"i wonder if a digg spread virus would ever happen?"
It has happened at least once, but PacoDEmu is right, it got squashed pretty quickly. A friend of mine got burned though, freaking ijit clicked on a link before looking at anything else. So much crap downloaded so fast he never had a chance. Social engineering at it's finest. - khyberkitsune, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@halleyscomet
Screw Be, too. I can totally hose a BeOS install remotely with a few scripts. (Though BeOS 5 is a pain to hose, admittedly) Nothing is 100% proof. - FRAGaLOT, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Gweedo, no. It's been determined that the WGA BEHAVES as spyware, and there are a group of ppl who are trying to sue Microsoft for the behavior of WGA as being spyware. For most ppl, it downloaded with out ppl being aware of it (automatic updates) it collects information about your PC (violates privacy issues) and "phones home" all of this data back to microsoft (classic spyware).
- Mace37, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I had a virus like this on my msn messenger. Someone added me, I messaged them and then everyone on my hotmail list was emailed saying THIS IS MY PASSWORD: (then 1000 lines of my password)
It somehow did it to my gmail also, though there is no relation between the two other than the passwords were the same. But before it sent the email I kept getting signed out and when I'd sign in my name would be "I have a small dick" or something like that. I changed my password and it was fine, but the damage was done. - noamsml, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Who's pretending?
- gmerin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2How do we know this isn't WGA? It may not be a virus / trojan; it may simply be some of Microsoft's latest code updates that is in need of a security patch.
- nichos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2More info one what it does, and where it does it at symantec's site:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.esbot.e.html - vixenk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@DuoPros: I'm not a gamer, and I'm not forced to use Windows at work, so yes, I use Linux exclusively... and I'm perfectly happy with it. :)
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Install Plan 9 from Bell Labs!
*runs away laughing hysterically* - holmes101, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2All I can think of when I read that title is "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"
People are so stupid these days. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2This is beautiful on so many levels. The creator should be congratulated. MS & AOL should be sued.
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