Out of every bad thing, something good!

I was doing a scan on Google this morning and found a new link to my name. The link opened up in a new tab and immediately said it was searching for viruses, powered by “Microsoft Defense-Live-Scan.”

Microsoft Defense Live Scan

The dangerous site in question (above) shows an URL coming from Hong Kong: h.iaskyeif.com/hk. I write the name of the URL only so that you can identify it underneath the search item. However, that URL is a shell that contains text that is bound to come up in internet searches. Clicking on the link of the Search Item (not the same URL) opens directly into “http://defense-live-scan.com/2009/1…” malevolent location and the popup pictured below.

Clearly, the site is just a jumble “crawler” site, that combines text from various sources and masquerades as a site. I clicked “CANCEL” but that still started the process of scanning the computer. The link immediately starts downloading the “scan” (read scam), and then asks you to download the software to eliminate the trojan horse and a couple of other supposed spyware on your computer.

McAfee Site Advisor has already two people who have noted this malevolent scam. I am hoping to clean up my computer as we speak (using ClamXav). But, my advice to you: the best way to “get out” of it is merely to CLOSE DOWN YOUR BROWSER. You cannot go back into the browser as it is now blocked. Clicking on CANCEL will not help. And certainly don’t click on DOWNLOAD. If you do click on CANCEL, then immediately close the window/tab. I will let you know if I manage to nab the offending parts!  Post Scriptum: It would appear that the virus did not affect my MAC — another case of “thank goodness I’m Mac.”  I assume virus is programmed for the PC Windows environment.

Out of this nightmare experience that took me out of my morning slumber, comes the good news: an excellent opportunity to discover and use for the first time, the new “Promote and Remove” Google searchwiki feature that now appears to the right of each search item on Google:

If you click on the X and you can remove a malevolent item from your google list. On the other hand, if you click on the UP arrow, you “promote” the referenced link. Find out more on this YouTube video.

Would love it if you felt like moving up (promoting) my blog! Anyway, I wish you a wonderful post Thanksgiving Weekend. Please do pass around this post to get people alerted to the new hazard on the web.

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