64,000 Computers In U.S. Expected To Be Cut Off On Monday Due To Doomsday Virus
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The countdown is on for the doomsday virus that's capable of knocking out your computer, but there is a way to stop the devastating bug from wiping out everything on your hard drive.
Jake Lewis works as a personal assistant, which means he's on the Internet more than 15 hours a day. He was alarmed to hear about the computer virus that could knock thousands of people offline.
"I have all my documents and my databases stored online," Lewis told CBS 2. "That's contacts, that's scheduling and preferences."
The FBI has been on the case since last year when agents busted a ring of computer hackers in Estonia. The scam infected hundreds of thousands of computers around the world and controlled them through rogue servers. The hackers would redirect people to different web sites and rack up millions of dollars in illegal fees.
The challenge for the FBI was that if they shut down the hackers' servers, they'd wipe out the Internet connection for all the victims. So instead they set up alternate servers, which took control of the infected computers.
That temporary system is shutting down on Monday, which means that about 64,000 computers in the U.S. will be cut off. The FBI is directing users to a special website -- www.dcwg.org -- to see if they're infected. The site will check for the virus and tell you how to fix it.
"I am very relieved knowing that I won't lose my Internet on Monday," Lewis said. "Thank God."
Lewis is in the clear. But many others are still at risk, and the FBI thinks about 50 major corporations are infected as well.
This virus has reportedly gobbled up standard anti-virus software, so people are very encouraged to check the FBI site. And it has to be done by tomorrow.
Has your computer been infected? Tell us in the comments sections below...
