On how the world can come crashing down

[vilyasage]

The computer is broken. This isn't mine, it's a loaner until they fix mine.

Last night the internet wasn't working. Sometimes a restart will kick the wireless into action, so I hit "Start - restart computer" and when it came back on I got this message:

Comments

[kyosukekusaragi]

Ffffffffffffff that sucks really badly. I hope that you get your normal computer back soon.

[vilyasage]

I am of the opinion that three trips to the university tech support center is two too many. And the one that you do have should only be for the obligatory replacement battery.

[arivess]

Oh! Addy just lost all her music and I've been slowly uploading, uh, about 900 MB of music for her, so you can grab it if you'd like? XD;

[vilyasage]

I love you.

[arivess]

I know you do--er, I mean. XD

First half-or-so:

Part 1: http://www.sendspace.com/file/vdhbxk
Part 2: http://www.sendspace.com/file/800cg1
Part 3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/x0a8qz
Part 4: http://www.sendspace.com/file/y20tk7
Part 5: http://www.sendspace.com/file/ye9tk9

This isn't all my music, mind. Just a selection that I either liked lots or found amusing or whatnots. *nods*

[aleeeeeeex]

Looks like you got hit with Chernobyl.

It's originally a Russian virus that embeds itself into your hard drive. It's so heavily encrypted that your anti-virus can't catch it and can go undetected for weeks, even years. There's supposed to be a specific trigger date on each virus. Until the date rolls around it won't show itself. The anticipated date was supposed to be April Fool's but nothing showed up until about the 10th. Various other reports of the virus have come up since then.

Take it to a specialist. There's really nothing you can do, I don't think but the memory on your hard drive might at least be salvageable. Just DON'T turn it on or the virus will spread.

[vilyasage]

The tech dude didn't say anything about a possible virus.

However, I feel like if it was this, it would have shown up at the start of the day, and not waited until I tried to restart the machine. Or it would have forced a shutdown/restart, thereby totally screwing me over without giving me the chance to stop it.

I've run a total of three different anti-virus scans on it in the past week or so. None of them could catch this thing, if indeed that's what it was? And I'd also think there'd be more people around campus reporting things like this. After all, my internet using/downloading is pretty light compared to most people here.

[aleeeeeeex]

The tech dudes at Universities are normally students looking for extra cash, not to say I'm accusing this dude(s) but I'd take it to your comp. company instead. Even Best Buy or something.

It activates at specific times, the more complex ones. It doesn't suddenly take over and shut things down, if that's what you're thinking.

Like I said, your anti-virus can't detect it. Very few computer specialists have managed to crack it even. Because it is SO encrypted into your hard drive. It literally becomes part of your computer when it hides. It also doesn't show up due to downloads, it could simply be what pages you visit. Visit the right site and it clings.

[aleeeeeeex]

This should prove useful. Although, it is not completely up to date.

Either way, the original virus has been improved and modified since it first appeared. Since it's been around since the 80s, sort of goes to show just how damn difficult it is to catch this thing.