CNET's Sree Sreenivasan Explains The Concern Over 'DNS Changer' Virus

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The FBI is sending out a warning about a dangerous virus, and it could attack your hard drive.

Your computer may already be infected without you knowing it.

The virus is a "Trojan Horse" called DNS Changer. The virus sneaks in and takes control the digital addresses you go to on the internet.

CNET's Sree Sreenivasan explained that DNS Changer hijacks your computer by taking you to sites that capture your information. The virus is widespread, Sreenivasan explained, adding that according to one study half of all Fortune 500 companies have at least one computer infected with the virus. More than 300,000 consumers have their infected, Sreenivasan said.

To test if your computer is infected by DNS Changer, just click here. For free software that fixes any DNS Changer infections, click here. For free Internet firewall software to help protect your computer, click here.

On July 9, the FBI is planning on knocking the computer servers that support infected machines online. Consumers whose machines have been infected may find themselves without access to the Internet.

For more information, watch the video below.

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Sree Sreenivasan is CBS2′s technology expert, appearing every Wednesday morning at 6:50 am to discuss ways to save you time, money and aggravation. He is also a social media blogger for CNET News. He is a professor and Dean of Student Affairs at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. You can find him onTwitter and Facebook  and on his personal site. E-mail your questions with "CBS New York" as the subject line.