Tea-party convention website attacked

[Jeanfromfillmore]

Originally Posted by Twoller

Wow. You had to replace motherboards? What made you decide it was the motherboards that had been the subject of attack?

When I took my computer in to the computer doctor that was what he found. He tried to clean it but it was to damaged.

[Twoller]

Originally Posted by Jeanfromfillmore

When I took my computer in to the computer doctor that was what he found. He tried to clean it but it was to damaged.

I know more than a little about computers, and that doesn't sound right to me. You didn't get a receipt explaining the damage and costs? How much did it cost you?

[Jeanfromfillmore]

Originally Posted by Twoller

I know more than a little about computers, and that doesn't sound right to me. You didn't get a receipt explaining the damage and costs? How much did it cost you?

It was quite a bit, it had so many things wrong and viruses that after two weeks of trying to save it, they just gave up. These people weren't trying to take advantage of me, it was that bad. Had a Trojan virus along with so many others that I don't remember. And it wasn't a great computer to begin with, so replacing what I did actually improved it a great deal.

[wetibbe]

Just to keep the record clear, computers are composed of two different basic components of operation. Hardware and soft ware.

The hardware is all of the mechanical, physical components such as the hard drive, CD bay, mother board, the memory, CPU, fan, wiring and a variety of other parts that basically conduct the electricity around to different places and cause the various items to perform mechanically in the desired way.

Software is basically written programs that send messages to the various hardware making them do whatever is desired. The software sends orders and stores data magnetically on disks.

Software doesn't damage hardware. A hacker cannot send some destructive pulses or bolts of lightning to fry any hardware, The hacker can only send various orders to the software programs, boot configuration, directories, files, to do any of several things. Mal-ware, Ad-ware, worms, viruses, Trojan Horses, data miners.

Some companies keep track of the sites you visit then send E-mails trying to sell things. The malicious hackers will send messages to the computer telling it to delete files, or corrupt files or order actions that can disable the computer so that it won't boot or will no longer follow the owners software commands. Some malicious unwanted invasions will allow a computer to keep functioning but slow it down significantly.

When a computer fails due to hardware it is because the component has malfunctioned in some way. The hardware needs to be replaced. However, when a computer fails due to software it is often so contaminated with embedded intruders junk that practically it is easier to use any one of a number of remedial systems. Modern computers use a system reset/restore feature that takes it back to an earlier date. That bypasses the hackers input. Other remedies are system restore disks that you can make or order from the manufacturer. They will restore the original software that was installed on the new computer but all subsequent software and files will be lost. So a backup is all important.

I pretty much just gave up on the usual computer repair services such as Comp-USA, Staples, Best Buy. The technicians are either young kids or under-qualified foreigners or otherwise not very well qualified. They usually give up and resort to wiping the hard drive which I can do myself at home. I only buy HP products and I ship the product back to the factory repair facility, if it is a hardware problem. A motherboard is a major replacement expense. When ever repairs reach 50% of the products value I will not repair. I buy new. HP sells recovery disks for $16.29 that reinstall Windows and all other factory software. And I can run the recovery disks at home. The Windows XP OS took 11 disks. The Windows Vista is now three disks. It will take about 4 to 5 hours to run them. Windows - 7 "clean install" software sells at Costco for $179 presently . But it does have some remedial, repair on it and it won't wipe out the files.

When a person buys a new computer with factory installed software they don't get the disk for whatever is installed. So in order to repair - they must buy new disks IF they fail to make the recommended recovery and systems disks as recommended.

Not much can be done to prevent a hardware failure. But adequate software security can prevent hacker damage. New viruses are being created daily so it is important to keep updating the software.

Here's an example of a dangerous hacker. I received this notice via E-mail from a friend 2 day ago:




Just passing this on . . .

READ IMMEDIATELY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HI ALL THIS was sent to me by our son who is in charge of the computers for the state of Florida -- whenever he receives anything like this it is a warning to the State as well as all us little people --

VERY IMPORTANT , PLEASE READ THIS

Anyone-using Internet mail such as Yahoo, Hot-mail, AOL and so on. This information arrived this morning, Direct from both Microsoft and Norton Please send it to everybody you know who has Access to the Internet. You may receive an apparently harmless e-mail titled 'Mail Server Report' If you open either file, a message will appear on your screen saying: 'It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful....'

Subsequently you will LOSE EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC, And the person who sent it to you will gain access to your Name, e-mail and password. This is a new virus which started to circulate on Saturday afternoon. AOL has already confirmed the severity, and the anti virus software's are not capable of destroying it.

The virus has been created by a hacker who calls himself 'life owner'.

PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THIS E-MAIL TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS, And ask them to PASS IT ON IMMEDIATELY!

THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY SNOPES.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/mailserver.asp



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[Twoller]

Originally Posted by wetibbe

Just to keep the record clear, computers are composed of two different basic components of operation. Hardware and soft ware.

The hardware is all of the mechanical, physical components such as the hard drive, CD bay, mother board, ...

Software is basically written programs that send messages to the various hardware making them do whatever is desired. The software sends orders and stores data magnetically on disks.

Software doesn't damage hardware. A hacker cannot send some destructive pulses or bolts of lightning to fry any hardware, ...

....

I would have mentioned this myself, except there are some significant exceptions. I don't know what progress is like in motherboard technology. My motherboards are at least three years old. But part of what makes a motherboard work is the BIOS, which is a small programable chip in the motherboard that provides controls and settings for components on the motherboard. You might think of the BIOS as being a computer that manages your computer. It is programmable and therefore capable of reading code that will corrupt it. It is vulnerable to viruses and attacks from the network. You can damage hardware with software, in this case.

And also, while it is not possible to directly corrupt the functioning of other hardware components like the CPU or hard drive, it is possible to direct signals to hardware in order to encourage its failure. Hard drives fail because they can overheat and lock up the bearings on the disks and directing code to a system running 24/7 so that its hard drive never gets a break can cause early failure. CPU's can also be confronted this way.

When you start coming under attack from these areas, you know you have attracted the attention of some seriously rotten people. Or some government.

Originally Posted by wetibbe

....

When a person buys a new computer with factory installed software they don't get the disk for whatever is installed. So in order to repair - they must buy new disks IF they fail to make the recommended recovery and systems disks as recommended.

....

Is that right? The company no longer issues a recovery disk? It is no longer possible to reinstall the operating system on a store bought computer? I have never owned a company manufactured computer (except a couple of old Apples). And never will, by the way. And laptops being the exception here. You can't build your own laptop.

[wetibbe]

Twoller

While I can emphasize with your opinion there isn't any DIRECT correlation between software damage or ardware. Software instructions may direct hardware to wear itself out but it doesn't translate directly.

After sale Windows software can be installed. The thrust was to highlight that buyers of packaged software do not have a use ...

[Twoller]

Originally Posted by wetibbe

Twoller

While I can emphasize with your opinion there isn't any DIRECT correlation between software damage or ardware. Software instructions may direct hardware to wear itself out but it doesn't translate directly.

....

To really highlight the vulnerability of motherboards, some BIOS have anti-virus software integrated into the BIOS. You can upgrade the BIOS using software loaded from a disk.

Here's a little tidbit ... The BIOS or firmware on my TV set needed upgrading. I contacted Panasonic who sent me a little USB gizmo that upgraded the firmware by receiving a broadcast signal. I was obliged to send it back when I was done. Is that cool or what? And maybe a little scary. I'd just as soon not have my television set able to communicate via radio without me knowing how or why.