Google warning users of malware infection
Summary: Google has identified traffic patterns consistent with a certain malware infection, and it's letting users know that they need to take action.
If you see a notification above your Google search results that your computer is infected with malware, it's probably best to take it seriously - the search giant has identified traffic patterns consistent with infection, and it's letting users know that they need to take action.
The malware in question routes Google traffic through a small number of proxies, according to the official blog entry. If Google's search engine detects that you're coming to them through these intermediaries, it'll display a banner notification (pictured right) in hopes that you'll fix the problem.
They're even providing those affected with tutorials on how to update antivirus software to scrub the computer of this strain of malware, which makes sense given that infection rates are very likely higher amongst the technology-illiterate.
Google discovered the infections when some unusual search data was turned up by a routine maintenance cycle. This particular infection was singled out as the culprit after Google shared that data with outside security professionals from the companies that were sending the modified search traffic.
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Talkback
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
and other ransomware, will users take this warning seriously? Could there be another method of informing
the user?
I was thinking the same thing ....
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
Not quite.
Google recommends the user to use the systems AV / anti malware.
There is no selling, only warnings that you MAY be infected, and certainly no fake list of viruses.
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
*dial tone*
Great Idea. You should do more of this Google.
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
"I'm a PC."
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
If you don't exist, and don't do anything - you can't get hit ;-)
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
If you don't exist, and don't do anything - you can't get hit ;-)
Security By Obscurity
You should realize that "security by obscurity" is a phrase coined to refer to systems that rely on the fact that they hide how the system and/or its security works to make them secure. That is, in computer terms it refers to the way some closed source systems work (or did work). Basically, it's like relying on the fact that a thief doesn't know your door is not locked, or like locking your door and tossing the key under the mat or in a nearby hide-a-key.
Security by obscurity has nothing to do with market share. Windows had some of the heaviest dependency on security by obscurity (and thus, some of its most insecure versions) when its market share was at its peak.
Incidentally, Linux market share on the desktop seems to be around 1.5% and climbing very gradually.
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
Your figures are off by a couple of orders of magnitude. For desktops, it depends on where you are. In the US it's a little below 5%. In Europe and South America it's between 10 and 20%. The 1/10 percent is from 10 years ago for desktops. In servers, it's a little over 30%, and for web servers it's around 65%. On mainframes it's higher, and on supercomputers it's around 98%.
If you add in other Unix based systems, then it's over 15% desktop, 65% servers, and 65% cell phones/tablets.
Any way you slice it, Windows is a force only on the desktop. A market in decline.
BTW, Apple uses a Unix based core.
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
<I>"Incidentally, Linux market share on the desktop seems to be around 1.5% and climbing very gradually."</I>
LOL! Proof?
Net Applications currently has Linux Sitting at .95% and isn't doing a damn thing except sitting waaaaaaaaaaaay out in left field. It certainly isn't rising. Lol!
h t t p : / / marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=9&qpcustom=Linux
Try a Non-Biased Source
RE: Google warning users of malware infection
Google USES Linux. But Google doesn't distribute Linux. You need to understand the difference. most large corporations USE Linux. That doesn't mean that they sell or distribute Linux.
RE: Google warning users of malware infection