New Laptop Comes Pre-infected With Virus

[Zippyjuan]

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/tec?guid=20120913/8490b60d-f4ad-472c-ad1a-cb96f0ab27a8


Microsoft finds malware on new computers in China


WASHINGTON (AP) — A customer in Shenzhen, China, took a new laptop out of its box and booted it up for the first time. But as the screen lit up, the computer began taking on a life of its own. The machine, triggered by a virus hidden in its hard drive, began searching across the Internet for another computer.

The laptop, supposedly in pristine, super-fast, direct-from-the-factory condition, had instantly become part of an illegal, global network capable of attacking websites, looting bank accounts and stealing personal data.

For years, online investigators have warned consumers about the dangers of opening or downloading emailed files from unknown or suspicious sources. Now, they say malicious software and computer code could be lurking on computers before the bubble wrap even comes off.

The shopper in this case was part of a team of Microsoft researchers in China investigating the sale of counterfeit software. They received a sudden introduction to malware called Nitol. The incident was revealed in court documents unsealed Thursday in a federal court in Virginia. The records describe a new front in a legal campaign against cybercrime being waged by the maker of the Windows operating system, which is the biggest target for viruses.

The documents are part of a computer fraud lawsuit filed by Microsoft against a web domain registered to a Chinese businessman named Peng Yong. The company says the domain is a major hub for illicit Internet activity, home base for Nitol and more than 500 other types of malware, which makes it the largest single repository of infected software that Microsoft officials have encountered.

Peng, the owner of an Internet services firm, said he was not aware of the Microsoft suit. He denied the allegations and said his company does not tolerate improper conduct on the domain, 3322.org. Three other unidentified individuals accused by Microsoft of establishing and operating the Nitol network are also named in the suit.

What emerges most vividly from the court records and interviews with Microsoft officials is a disturbing picture of how vulnerable Internet users have become, in part because of weaknesses in computer supply chains. To increase their profit margins, less reputable computer manufacturers and retailers may use counterfeit copies of popular software products to build machines more cheaply. Plugging the holes is nearly impossible, especially in less regulated markets such as China, and that leaves openings for cybercriminals.



More at link.

[tttppp]

This is bs. Everyone knows your computer is not supposed to get loaded with viruses until two years after you purchase it.

[ctiger2]

Next time you get a new windows computer run a registry cleaner on it first thing. You'll be shocked at how many errors are found.

[fisharmor]

Next time you get a new windows computer run a registry cleaner on it first thing. You'll be shocked at how many errors are found.
Pre-loaded virus in bold.

[pcosmar]

Pre-loaded virus in bold.


http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article09-115

Is Windows a Virus?

No, Windows is not a virus. Here's what viruses do:

They replicate quickly - okay, Windows does that.

Viruses use up valuable system resources, slowing down the system as they do so - okay, Windows does that.

Viruses will, from time to time, trash your hard disk - okay, Windows does that too.

Viruses are usually carried, unknown to the user, along with valuable programs and systems. Sigh... Windows does that, too.

Viruses will occasionally make the user suspect their system is too slow (see 2) and the user will buy new hardware. Yup, that's with Windows, too.

Until now it seems Windows is a virus but there are fundamental differences:Viruses are well supported by their authors, are running on most systems, their program code is fast, compact and efficient and they tend to become more sophisticated as they mature.

So Windows is not a virus.

It's a bug.

[acptulsa]

It's a dangerous thing, these days, to advertise that a product comes 'with everything' if it isn't true...

[ZENemy]

http://www.ubuntu.com/

[presence]

http://www.ubuntu.com/

beat me to it.

[unklejman]

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article09-115

Does installing viruses allow me a platform to do work that provides money which can be exchanged for goods and services?

[RickyJ]

Next time you get a new windows computer run a registry cleaner on it first thing. You'll be shocked at how many errors are found.

A better idea is to install Linux immediately and never use windoze ever.

[unklejman]

A better idea is to install Linux immediately and never use windoze ever.

If only that was a viable option for everyone.

[Ronulus]

A better idea is to install Linux immediately and never use windoze ever.

Or just know how to use a computer and buy whatever OS you are comfortable with. Until Linux has more software support it will not be mainstream. Valve is now working on linux so that may help.

[Razmear]

http://www.ubuntu.com/

I prefer http://www.kubuntu.org/
I really don't like the new Unity interface, makes your PC look like a tablet. Kubuntu uses the KDE interface which I think is much cleaner.

[DamianTV]

Its not a Bug either, its a Feature.

Okay, lets go through some General Advice. If you buy a new computer, there are a couple of things you can do to prevent infection.

#1 DO NOT CONNECT IT TO THE INTERNET WHEN YOU FIRST TURN IT ON.

When you turn on your new computer for the first time, the software on it could and probably is out of date. You also have a bunch of Crapware that is also running, which includes a bunch of shit that wants to immediately connect to the internet, not to update, but to start tracking you. The problem there is, from a technical perspective, not so much that it is going to try to track you, but every program that talks to the internet is a method of entry for other viruses and malware. Start uninstalling this Shitware before you connect to the internet.

#2 INSTALL YOUR SECURITY SOFTWARE VIA FLASH DRIVE OR REMOTE STORAGE

Again, this is BEFORE you connect to the internet. You'll probably need to authorize your new Feature (a.k.a. Bug) called Windows, but there is plenty of time for you to do this. You'll want to install a fully updated full version of your favorite Anti Virus BEFORE you connect to the internet. The first time you connect, if Windows isnt 100% fully up to date, you are more open to infection. And before you turn it on, you have NO IDEA whether or not everything on your computer is as up to date as it should be. At least get your Anti Virus up and running before connecting.

#3 CONNECT AFTER ANTI VIRUS IS INSTALLED BEHIND A FIREWALL

Now once your Anti Virus is installed, you are safer connecting to the internet behind a Hardware Firewall. Safer, but not perfectly safe. Most Routers and Wireless Access Points function as a Hardware Firewall. The Firewall will protect you somewhat against Internet Connection Security Holes. Security Holes have to found before they can be fixed. So you are still going to have a ton of secruity holes, some of which will not be identified for YEARS, but the upside is that it will take those who will abuse those security holes as much time as that to find those holes, then exploit them. And not all Security Holes are ever found. Nor are they exploited. Most of them will rely on Internet Connections to be exploited, for the ones that have been identified. Your Anti Virus will try to take care of a Virus once your computer gets infected, but it is safer to not get infected with one to begin with. Many Anti Virus programs also have a Software Firewall built in, which also increases your level of safety, but at the expense of Speed. Hardware Firewalls are more efficient than Software Firewalls because they are not running on your computer. Firewalls also dont need to be updated anywhere nearly as frequently as Anti Virus because of the way they were designed. Firewalls limit how your computer can connect to the internet and usually says piss off to incoming requests to talk to your computer, but allows your computer to make most outgoing requests to talk to the internet. Incoming Internet == Bad, Outgoing Internet == Okay. It is those incoming requests that usually are some form of Network Exploit that can infect your computer, and Firewalls dont need to know what those things are to filter them out if you are not answering any Incoming Requests to talk to the internet. You get a brand new phone number and the first call made on this line is an Incoming Call from a Telemarketer, except the Telemarketer is a Virus. Firewalls just make sure your computer doesnt answer any incoming calls until you make some outgoing calls, thus, they dont need to be updated anywhere nearly as frequently.

#4 BE CAREFUL WITH NEW HARDWARE

Any sort of New Hardware that STORES DATA could have been returned, repackaged, and could be infected. This goes for Flash Drives, those Digital Picture Frames, External Hard Drives, but things like a Mouse or a Keyboard are not able to infect your comptuer. A viruses main purpose is to propogate. Sometimes, it does this by copying itself onto Removable Storage, like a Flash Drive, SSD Card, etc. Say you have a virus, it may try to copy itself to your new Digital Picture Frame. Lets say it does. Then you think the Digital Picture Frame isnt working (because of the virus, which came from elsewhere) so you take the Digital Picture Frame back to the store and exchange it. That new Digital Picture Frame is probably going to be repacked with the virus that your computer just put on it. The next poor sap that tries to connect this Digital Picture Frame to their computer is then going to get infected, if they are not adequately protected.

---

There are plenty of techy people here, and I am sure that most of them can offer all sorts of advice. Sometimes the stuff on your computer is stuff you want, but today in the age of Crap Software that comes preloaded, expect it to have all sorts of shit you dont want. That causes you problems, as well as Windows being out of date out of the box, because, before you even turn it on, you wont be able to know how up to date it is until you do turn it on. A very old version of Windows - Windows 2000 Server had this terrible problem where it would become infected as soon as it connected to the internet without Service Pack 4 installed. During the course of its life, when a Service Pack is released, people dont immediately run out and buy a 10 Install License for every update. So the Version we had was the original and unpatched. Service Pack 4 did protect against the infection, but when we tried to update it via connecting to the internet to get the update, the system became comprimised and was infected. The solution was to use another updated computer to download Service Pack 4 and install it on the New Computer before allowing it to connect to the internet. Once Service Pack 4 was installed, we could safely connect to the internet and get other updates that were needed. It was also being set up to be a Server and wasnt behind any firewalls, which just opened too many doors, and low and behold, one of those doors was screwing up the system.

If anyone else has other Tech Advice for the Non Techy, feel free to share!