February 23, 2012, 11:08 AM —
flickr/Cea
No, the FBI will not take down the Internet on March 8. But a virus might for some users.
Thanks to the FBI and others, a botnet network run by Estonian hackers was shut down last November. This group used varieties of the DNSChanger virus to route users to compromised servers. The FBI replaced those servers with clean ones to allow infected users to still access the Internet. But the FBI said recently they will shut down those servers on March 8, hence the doomsday conspiracy theories.
First, check your DNS settings. Go here to DNS-OK. If infected, follow the instructions from PCWorld, or talk to your favorite IT service provider. Second, the FBI has been asked, politely and through the courts, to extend their DNS server support. Since half of major U.S. Government agencies still show infected systems on their network, expect an extended deadline.
No Internet?
Sounds like a blessing to milions
Tiger5 on deseretnews.com
Instead of the day the Internet dies, it may be, for me the day I install Ubuntu on my laptop.
RealPaul5d8p on pcworld.com
Take off and nuke it from orbit. Its the only way to be sure.
Mr Multiverse on gizmodo.com
Hold on a second. This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it.
Number23 on gizmodo.com
News to me
Exactly how have the FBI been warning people all this time? I only heard about it this week.
sensible99 on pcworld.com
I just spoke to a tech at Cox, my isp, he said that they've never heard of the March 8 Internet Doomsday situation.
Carlz8w9 on pcworld.com
I like conspiracy theories
I wonder if the Gov made the virus so that they could test out their ability to turn off the internet.
snowburnt on gizmodo.com
Sounds like the FBI and other spy agency's have been getting a free ride in warrant-less information gathering and want to continue this order on a permanent basis.
My2Cents on deseretnews.com
If you're at work, odds are your DNS will be pointed to your business local DNS machine which will in turn be pointed outside. Basically, if you're at work, don't worry about it unless you are the IT guy.
1talltxn on gizmodo.com
FYI, Anonymous claims they have nothing to do with this, nor the rumors of their planned attack to shut down the Internet DNS root servers on March 31.
