What is the DNS Changer?
KGW News announced today that the FBI is taking steps to combat a Malware called the DNS Changer. 
DNS stands for Domain Name System, which is a huge database of registered websites and their corresponding digital address called an IP address. The DNS Changer is a virus that changes the settings of how your computer or router connects to the internet. It redirects your computer to fake/rogue DNS servers and ultimately redirects it to some fake websites. The fake websites might in turn be infected by Spyware. The DNS Changer not only could affect the settings on your personal computer, but can also affect settings on your router.
If your computer is infected by the DNS Changer, you will not be able to connect to the internet come Monday, July 9th. That’s when it’s being said that the FBI will be pulling the plug on the infected servers as a step to eliminating this Malware. So what can you do to make sure your computer is safe? If you are technically inclined you can find a full list of solutions at: http://www.dcwg.org/detect/. For those not technically inclined, here is a simplified version of the steps recommended by DCWG.
Establish if your computer is infected by the DNS Changer or not:
This is simply done by visiting this link: http://www.dns-ok.us/ for those in the USA. It is my hope that this simple test will suffice since the DNS Changer is known for redirecting. I prefer the manual method of testing, but that requires understanding of some basic computer concepts which can be the subject of another article.
If you are not infected, I would recommend that you run your system updates and also make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date. If your system updates or anti-virus updates are not running as they should, treat that as a red flag.
What to do if your computer is infected by the DNS Changer:
The DCWG website recommends several steps to take to remove the DNS Changer malware that you can find at: http://www.dcwg.org/fix/. Again, these are a bit technical, so do not hesitate to give us a call for assistance. If your computer is redirecting, use a different computer to download the recommended DNS Changer removal tools. Otherwise you might find yourself in an unending loop of being redirected. Once you download the removal tool(s), scan your computer, reset your router and then repeat the step of checking if your computer is infected to make sure all is good. If you need help checking for or removing the DNS Changer here in Vancouver WA we will be more than happy to help. I hope that you found this article useful.