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Reuters: 80% of Chinese Computers Virus Infected
Alien54 writes "A rueters news report says that 80% of computers in China have been touched by a computer virus. They quote a a six-week survey conducted by the [Chinese] National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center cited in the official China Daily newspaper."
That "Great Firewall Of China" does a lot of good!
80% of China's computer run windows
That Chinese people like opening temping attachments that promice love, porn, dancing bears, and greeting cards. O_o
on a serious note:
My computer has only been infected twice, both of them rare and harmless viruses. In the past year I have had zero infections... unless you are downloading every single program you can get your hands on or are opening attachments like an AOL newb viruses aren't that big of a problem. (or Kazaa users, but I won't go there. I use WinMX)
On the other hand, this could be the start of something big. There is reason to believe that "junk DNA", which comprises about 90% of the human genome, is leftover virus DNA. How much of human evolution was driven by viral infection either indirectly or directly? Might the same happen to computers? I think it might be smart to leave China's computii infected and see if an AI evolves. Put up a firewall, of course, in case of a Predator scenario.
I guess they really do share everything then...
...oOOo..'(_)'..oOOo...
"Only 16 percent of computer users we sampled this year reported they were free from any virus attack"
My computer is attacked on a daily basis, but my computer is virus free...
Thanks to file sharing, I purchase more CDs
Thanks to the RIAA, I buy them used...
Hacked by Chinese!
Computer viruses are small programs often sent via e-mail or hidden in other software. Once inside a computer, they can do malicious tasks like erase data or reproduce and send copies to other machines over the Internet.
I find it disturbing that in the year 2002, Reuters still has to explain to people what a "computer virus" is.
Jesus Christ. What's next, a description of the keyboard as "that typewriter thing on the desk" and the monitor as "the TV thing with all the pictures" ?
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
The best part was that she took it to a repair shop where I assume the employees either played along or took her for a ride. They returned her computer a few days later and told her they gave it a liver transplant. She was very proud of that fact that she knew more about computers than I did.
These people have robot dogs, and robot fish, and giant robots with guns for heads.
Yeah, that's right Norton, get on the m*therfucker.
If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
This brief but rather trenchant opinion piece on the same subject ran yesterday in Asahi Shimbun; reading it, you can see that the media in Japan (as usual) have a considerably firmer grasp on what's happening in China than the American media...
The virus rate is probably so high because all the software is black market.
You kniw your screwed when you go to open outlook and Mr. Paperclip exclaims "FALUN GONG IS GOOD!"
Well, since every spam message I get from that part of the world reads like a Sircam virus email, I'm not suprised that they all believe they've been exposed.
"Engrish" as a second language, you know...
Murphy was an optimist.
Only 16 percent of computer users we sampled this year reported they were free from any virus attack
100-16 = 80%
Must have a loose nut on the old abacus.
Live web cams
Haven't they figured out how to pirate norton antivirus?
If the methods used were the same as those from the last survey: http://www.antivirus-china.org.cn/
Then the results are highly questionable. As it was an online survey. Without knowing the methods for all we know it could have been a website poll... and considering it's the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center doing the survey then individuals completing the survey are probably more likely to be affiliated with such a site because they've *had* a virus.
Does any one actually read Chinese so they could give us the full story? The site's homepage is here:
http://www.antivirus-china.org.cn/
I've never had a problem receiving virus updates on my pirated scanners... on my pirated OS...
blah blah blah....
drightler@technicalogic.com
That I'll get less spam from them?
Just wondering.
-Goran
Carpe Scrotum - The only way to deal with your competition.
Articles I've read on business management repeatedly cite the fact that the Chinese word for "crisis" also means "opportunity". I wonder if the Chinese word for "computer virus" also means "really cool pirated software with unexpected features".
Ergonomica Auctorita Illico!
They returned her computer a few days later and told her they gave it a liver transplant.
But it starts to get scary if you get sick in China, and the doctors ask which brand of harddrive you want installed in place of your appendix.
Table-ized A.I.
Sounds like a new primetime soap opera...
Tonight on Touched by a Virus, Gordon believes that he has been infected by "Millisa". Little does Gordon know that Millisa is spawning his CHILD!
come on fhqwhgads
That seems to be they way the media usually uses this term. For instance: "This tradgedy has touched the lives of many."
Yes, or "Timmy was touched repeatedly by the Catholic priest"
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
And the number one reported virus was:
BRUE SCLEEN OF DEATH!
To ensure perfect aim, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target
... is sending me spam.
I am quite civilized, and I should be brought a beer immediately. -- Bruce Sterling
That's because virus scanners are part of the pirated software. How else would 84% of the people know they had a virus?
//TODO: Think of witty sig statement
I think that happens a lot in China! I go this one email, and it said that people steal your livers and you wake up in a bath full of ice without a liver! maybe they are needing them for their computers? i can forward it to you if you need it!
If you had nuts on your chin, would they be chin nuts?
You will soon, Mr. "I like to brag in public that I steal software." In fact, you might want to avoid answering the door for a few days, especially if 6' tall men wearing suits and sunglasses, driving a Crown Victoria with Federal license plates, show up unannounced.
Did I mention that now would be an excellent time to wipe that hard drive and install Linux?
Think next time, McFly!
This is an easy problem to fix. All these people need to do is search for "Virus Protection" on Google and ... oh wait ...
(Score:-1, Wrong)
Don't encourage him to use Linux. I bet he'll pirate it too.
How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
Meanwhile, somewhere in a Hong Kong bordello, there is a computer just waking up in a bathtub full of ice chips and a big crack in the side of it's case.
I checked the site and found the following statement:
*** Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?
You kniw your screwed when you go to open outlook and Mr. Paperclip exclaims "FALUN GONG IS GOOD!"
I always thought it was just if Mr. Paperclip appeared at all...
They returned her computer a few days later and told her they gave it a liver transplant.
What a dumbshit! Real repair shops recognize the real problem was the Flux Capacitor. My local PC shop told me so. Those Chinese technicians are such greedy snakes. Thank heaven for Yankey Honesty.
Table-ized A.I.
A recent study by some guy down the street reveals that over 75% of all statistics are made up. "It comes as a real shocker to me, especially since 90% of all my decision making all day is based on statistics" says one local woman. The police chief says they're getting closer to figuring out who's releasing these made up statistics. He says "Well 85% of made up statistics are things people hear on a site known as Slashdot, and are then taken as fact, and passed on slightly distorted." "There are lies, damn lies and statistics." says local resident Benjamin Disraeli.
Well before everyone gets all ready to donate anti-virus software to china, please read the article. They don't mean 80% of all computers in china right at this moment have a virus. They're talking about 80% of the computers they sampled, they MAY have been infected (at one time). I'm sure in america the numbers pretty high too, there's just no statistics (yet). So here we go, according to ME, 90% of all computers I've ever fixed in America at one time had a virus.
Become symantec virus software reseller in China...
-i@i-
Nope, not anymore. Some dumbass on Slashdot posted the backdoor, and McAfee fixed it.
Why? Because the cat, dog, ugly box, and such are a great improvement?
"BEIJING (Reuters) - Viruses have infected at least 80 percent of China's computers,"
and the other %20 run Linux.
"a reliable source of today's date..."
the other 20% are macs... ha ha ha