photo credit: .hj barraza
When you bring home a new gadget, like an IPod or one of those new digital picture frames you think that it’s going to be a piece of cake to set it up and get it working right?
Well, you might just be in for a little surprise. Apparently, a lot of these gadgets that have been acquired by the consumer are being shipped overseas with nasty little computer viruses within.
I was reading an article by Jordan Robertson (AP) in the Boston Herald on Friday, and I thought that this was something important that others should know about.
This can happen when the computer that was used in the final stage for “product” testing at the factory has a nasty virus in the computer that it was tested on. Most gadgets being affected are the more popular ones. The IPods, digital picture frames, and GPS devices. There were some recent cases that the Associated Press reviewed that the bigger stores like Best Buy and Target were selling some of the devices embedded with viruses.
Most of the viruses are coming from Chinese companies that are known for their lower prices, and the bigger stores are turning to these companies because of the discounts. So quality control is not always the best within these overseas partners.
It really does not seem to be anything more then a product tester plugging in the device to an infected computer, which then infects the device. When an unsuspecting consumer buys their new gadget, takes it home & plugs it in to configure it - that’s when the virus can and does spread. The virus can be a spammer type virus, a password stealer or even ones that can open ports so a hacker can gain access easily.
I am not an expert, but I would really suggest a few things. One would be to not buy something from a store that you don’t know.
Although this can be really hard to try and find out where the company does buy their stuff. Usually - it does tell you where it was made or imported from. And both stores like Target and Best Buy ARE well known, so you would think that it would be safe. That’s not always the case though.
I think - and I say this to everyone, A good solid, dependable antivirus is the best and the most important piece of software one can have on their computer!
(I tell this to my friends at work - who never upgrade their antivirus programs at all… Somedays I am horrified to open my email, Because I can probably guess that almost half don’t even have antivirus…!)
I think with a good solid program, this would be your first defense in keeping those pesty bugs off of your computer, should you buy a new IPod or something!
And if you did get a virus, or your software finds one as you try to install/configure your new gadget - I would definitely stop what I was doing and call the store where you bought it. Maybe they can exchange it. I would think most stores would. The only problem with that is they all probably came from the same company. So the likelihood of another one being infected is high.
All in all - I think protection and precaution is the key here. Do not just click “next” when installing software. Read what it says first. And pay attention when your antivirus pops up! This could be the most important warning…!
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