ATTACK ALERT: “Internet Security 2010”

Being forewarned is being forearmed.

There is currently a rogue antivirus program attacking computers all over the internet. It makes a popup that appears to come from your task bar alerting you that your computer is under attack, to “click here” to download a program to remove the attack.

DO NOT CLICK ON IT!!1!

Instead, disconnect your internet connection immediately and run Malwarebytes.

Then search your hard drive for a file called IS2010.exe. Delete it.

Look at your desktop to see if there is an icon for Internet Security 2010. If there is, delete it. DO NOT RUN UNINSTALL AS IT RECOMMENDS.

Then reboot your computer and — if you are as paranoid as me — run Malwarebytes again. Don’t forget to empty your recycle bin before you reboot.

BleepingComputer has the dope on removing this threat once it has installed itself on your computer.

The FBI put out a warning on December 11, 2009:

The message may display what appears to be a real-time, anti-virus scan of your hard drive. The scareware will show a list of reputable software icons; however, you can’t click a link to go to the real site to review or see recommendations. Cyber criminals use botnets—collections of compromised computers—to push the software, and advertisements on websites deliver it. This is known as malicious advertising or “malvertising.”

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Arrrrrrrr!

Avast ye, mateys! It’s Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Theodor Horydczak, photographer (Library of Congress)

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Pirates! Ahoy!

Cartoon shows little men, labeled "Foreign officials," running to catch briefcases full of money being dropped by parachutes labeled "Northrop" and "Lockheed Aircraft." In 1976, an investigation revealed that the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation had offered bribes and made illegal payments to officials in Japan, Italy, West Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, and Greece. At about the same time, the Northrop Corporation admitted that it had paid improper commissions to individuals in Italy, Greece, Somalia, Portugal, and Turkey. 1976 Feb. 10. Edmund S. Valtman, artist.

Rob Walker interviewed the crew of the CEC Future and others involved in the November 2008 hijacking of the Danish-owned merchant ship by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

(BBC) The most skilled pirates, the ones who prove themselves by being the first to board a hijacked ship, are paid more, and are more in demand.

“That guy doing the jumping, he gets $5,000 (£3,050) extra because he’s taken the risk of getting hit by anything coming from the crew. And it’s something good for his CV, to show to other investors.”

It’s an amazing story.

Rob Walker’s Anatomy of a Hijack is broadcast on the BBC World Service Assignment programme on Thursday 4 June and The Report on BBC Radio 4, Thursday 4 June at 2000 BST. You can listen via the BBC iPlayer or download the podcast.

Etcetera: Did you know that in 1950 Cadillac came out with a car — the Debutante convertible — that had actual leopard skin interior?

As perfect leopard skins are scarce, the greatest obstacle, as pointed out by Don E. Ahrens, Cadillac General Sales Manager, was that of obtaining enough for this undertaking.

"Somali leopards, the first boatload in nine months and Saks Fifth Avenue has the twelve top bundles." Mannequin in leopard coat flanked by leopard skins in window display. 1943 Oct. 29.

Many months before the car was built a Detroit furrier was commissioned to find the perfect specimens. This quest was fulfilled when he brought the 187 finest skins in the country to his establishment. After a careful examination it was determined that fourteen approached the high quality of this car as closely as could be obtained. Fur experts then studied the skins for many days to arrive at an exact match and perfect laying of each piece.

The leopard skins covering the upper portion of the front and rear seat backs, the upper side panels, and the complete floor in the front and rear compartments give a sophisticated interpretation of primitive splendor.

These skins are those of the Somaliland leopard – the largest, most ferocious, and yet the most beautiful species – found only on the East Coast of Africa.

When placed in context, the immorality of the Somali pirates is no worse than the immorality of 19th and 20th century businessmen whose descendants the pirates now attack from speedboats.

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The Solution To All Our Woes.

"Pirate" (Theodor Horydczak, photographer)

The brilliant thinkers morans over at The Corner have put on their thinking caps and come up with a brilliant moranic solution to the problem of piracy on the high seas:

Establishing private property rights where they don’t currently exist is the solution to about 90 percent of world’s economic problems. Piracy is no exception.

The “thinking” is that “if these waters were privately owned, the owner would have a strong incentive to maximize the waters’ value since he would profit by doing so. That would mean suppressing and preventing pirates.”

N.Y. : H.C. Miner Litho. Co., c1897.

Corporate owned and operated warships?

It strikes me that they have not thought this proposal through very carefully.

But when you are desperate to appear as though you have any ideas, their quality is not an important consideration.

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Russell Brand!

Russell Brand is rumoured to be appearing in the next Pirates of the Caribbean film as Johnny Depp’s brother!

I guess I missed the news with all the presidential election excitement.

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Avast Ye, Mateys!

“(CNN) — An Indian warship has exchanged fire with a pirate “mother vessel” off the hijacking-plagued Horn of Africa, leaving the ship ablaze in the Gulf of Aden, an official said Wednesday.

The skirmish took place Tuesday evening about 525 kilometers southwest of Oman’s Salalah port when the frigate INS Tabar spotted a suspected pirate ship with two speedboats in tow, India’s Defense Ministry reported.

The pirate ship was badly damaged, said spokesman Nirad Sinha, but he could not confirm reports it had sunk. ”

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In murk sunset and foul sunrise.

As Kenneth Anderson points out over at Opinio Juris, the pirates operating around Somali and Kenya and elsewhere are getting to be a problem.

International Maritime officials say at least 83 [ships] have been attacked off Somalia this year, with 33 of them hijacked. The pirates are currently holding about 11 ships, including a Ukrainian cargo vessel carrying 33 tanks.

The British Navy has apparently been told to “ignore” the pirates “out of the remarkable fear that any captured Somali pirates might have asylum claims on metropolitan Britain.”

Mr. Anderson has some suggestions for the Obama administration on dealing with the pirates. Imagine being in the US Navy and getting to fight pirates at sea. What a life that would be.

I’m sure it is probably not as entertaining as it sounds.

(Title taken from Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum, the first verse having been written by Robert Lewis Stevenson for his book “Treasure Island.”)

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