Most computer tune-ups we perform for our customers begin with the removal of a bunch of free, useless programs that are sapping the life out of our customer’s computers. In most cases they did not even install this pesky software, they installed something else that snuck the bad software into their computer as a hidden payload.

The folks over at http://www.howtogeek.com went to the leading software download sites and grabbed the top ten software recommendations and here is what happened when they installed it. Check out the results, you will be surprised. Do you and your computer a favor and stay clear of free software, when it comes to software, you really do get what you pay for.

Every Freeware Download Site is Serving You Crapware (Here’s the Proof)

The post Free Software Isn’t Free and Installing It Can Cost You appeared first on A1 Computer Repair.

The security firm Malcovery said it identified a new trojan based on the Gameover Zeus malware, which officials said infected up to one million computers in 12 countries, and was blamed in the theft of more than $100 million.

“This discovery indicates that the criminals responsible for Gameover’s distribution do not intend to give up on this botnet even after suffering one of the most expansive botnet takeovers/takedowns in history,”.

By infecting large numbers of computers, the cybercriminals were able to control the devices to steal passwords and send out emails to further spread the infection.

The news came as the Department of Justice said it had made progress in rooting out the malware infections.

In a status report filed in court, officials said that “all or nearly all of the active computers infected with Gameover Zeus have been liberated from the criminals’ control and are now communicating exclusively with the substitute server established pursuant to a court order.”

A blog post by the security firm Emsisoft said the new variant may be harder to combat because it is using “an evasive technique that allows the botnet to hide its distributive phishing sites behind a constantly shuffling list of infected, proxy computers.”

Gameover Zeus, which first appeared in September 2011, stole bank information and other confidential details from victims.

The FBI blamed the Gameover Zeus botnet for the theft of more than $100 million, obtained by using the stolen bank data and then “emptying the victims’ bank accounts and diverting the money to themselves.”

The June crackdown also targeted another computer virus, dubbed “Cryptolocker,” which appeared in September 2013.

Russian Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev, 30, an alleged administrator of the network, was charged in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with 14 counts including conspiracy, computer hacking, bank fraud, and money laundering in the Gameover Zeus and Cryptoblocker schemes.

Originally from: http://news.yahoo.com/bank-stealing-malware-returns-us-crackdown-193233883.html

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