Your PC may come with malware pre-installed | PCWorld
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Tinderbox (UK) BAKED BEAN KING
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I have to refrain from making the comments that I would really like to make, but suffice to say, when you're the most popular operating system in the world, you're going to get the most attention from virus makers. It's far more effective to target the largest demographic you can.
Nothing else to say on the matter. -
What's most surprising is that BIOS malware has never really been a problem. Then again, given how Windows 8 requires UEFI Secure Boot on new PCs, I suppose it's a very tiny window of opportunity at this point.
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Trust nothing! New PC’s with bloatware are prime targets.
Clean installs will help. I prefer manually deleteing bloatware.
If you buy an HP, Dell, Acer, Sony, or other such brand name PC the odds of it being compromised with pre-installed malware out of the box are pretty low.
Concerning the list above, I had a new Acer laptop loaded with bloatware...and
Hammered it with AV security scans….Found spyware loaded in the gaming pack.
1) Never assume anything 2) Never say sorry 3) Always remember garbage stinks -
From the linked article page 2;
" Microsoft employees in China bought 20 new computers from retailers and took them back to a home with an Internet connection.
They found forged versions of Windows on all the machines and malware already installed on four. The one with Nitol, however, was the most alarming because the malware was active.
As soon as we powered on this particular computer, of its own accord without any instruction from us, it began reaching out across the Internet, attempting to contact a computer unfamiliar to us, Stratton said in the document filed with the court.
I wonder where those 20 computers have been bought and what kind of computers.
Did they buy f.i. new Thinkpads in big Chinese retail chains or some 3 year old Acers at local 'mom-and dad PC' shops?
Anyway, flash UEFI/BIOS to must current version, full-format entire SSD/HDD and reinstall and indeed be done with it.
Your PC may come with malware pre-installed
Discussion in 'Security and Anti-Virus Software' started by Tinderbox (UK), Sep 15, 2012.