Malware rampant on new Thai laptops | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

Pirated Windows infected with malware

Published: 25 Feb 2013 at 15.23
Online news:

MANILA - Microsoft Corp on Monday announced the results of a study which it said showed serious threats of malware found on brand new personal computers bought in Thailand and four neighbouring countries.

A computer expert inspects Windows disks for malware. (Reuters photo)

The problem, said Keshav Dhakad of Microsoft, is piracy - specifically, pirated editions of Windows put on the PCs just before they were sold, according to a report on the study at Rappler.com, a Philippines new media site run by the former CNN correspondent Maria Ressa.

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jonny
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Discussion 18 : 26 Feb 2013 at 23.5518
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I'm surprised that everyone appears to have missed the monumental, scandalous concession Microsoft are admitting to.

The OEMs are engaging in criminal activity; placing corrupted copies of "Genuine Windows" on all their systems. Don't believe me? Go to Pantip. Default Win7 firewall settings are NIL for Inbound. A year ago, I personally checked around 200 brand new machines (Sony, DELL, MSi, ASUS, HP, etc). 100% had corrupted Firewall settings. 100% had non-default Root CAs in the Trusted Root store (there are 3 default for Windows 7).
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pepa
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Discussion 17 : 26 Feb 2013 at 11.5017
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The picture is actually hilariously off, because it is clear that he is looking (in the laptop screen) at the beginning of an ELF-binary, that has nothing whatsoever to do with Windows malware, as it won't run on Windows, but on Linux mainly.

Not sure whether the picture really comes from Reuters, but the subscript is just plain wrong.
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Boulda
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Discussion 16 : 26 Feb 2013 at 05.4916
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I think the main focus of the servey is that pirated OS's come with free viruses and Mulware. It isn't focued on piracy of the software. If you don't buy genuine you get free viruses to steel your information. If you can't afford it then use a free OS.
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Boulda
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Discussion 15 : 26 Feb 2013 at 05.4415
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@D13. If people can't afford windows, there are plenty of free OS's out there.
I don't think the purpose of this study is not to identify pirated windows copies, it is to highlight the viruses and mulware that are being installed onto the machines. Even if you buys a genuine copy and get someone in Pantip to install it, It will probably come with there own flavour of mulware to steel your credit card numbers etc. That is the purpose of the study. People who are buying the OS get free viruses. (or is it a free OS with the brought viruses)
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oldexp
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Discussion 14 : 26 Feb 2013 at 02.2714
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I used XP for 6 years without reinstall nor problems (due to XP)
I use W7 for 1 1/2 years now without reinstall nor problems (due to W7).
W7 also grew by 1 or 2 GB. Looks annoying, that's all. But, better a patch than trouble. W7 slowed down but due to some background processes I installed as I need them.
Automatic updates .. turn them off. Let Windows notify you only. Install IE or security patches fast, wait with the rest for a month. Just to learn whether they make problems.
- The main problems with computers is .. the user in front -
PS) what's wrong with B/W Hex-editor?
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phetpeter
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Discussion 13 : 25 Feb 2013 at 22.4313
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Make it cheaper and people wouldn't have to use pirated editions of Windows! Only virus my friend has ever got that took 10mins longer to remove, is microsoft trying to blank out and tell him its pirated. Windows give it up make it dirt cheap, and stop crying over it, you will still get rich!
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 12 : 25 Feb 2013 at 22.0212
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What a wonderful picture of a HEX editor in black and white – I am duly impressed how this “computer expert inspects Windows disks”.
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wbhdy
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Discussion 11 : 25 Feb 2013 at 20.5711
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My Notebook is infected by an original Version of Windows 7. It crippled the internal cam and microphone. I am looking for a Thai copy of XP now.
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ronniec
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Discussion 10 : 25 Feb 2013 at 20.1710
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A few years back I stumbled across the Thai government branded version of Linux-Ubuntu - ThaiOS. Gave it a try and have never been back to Windows. No OS viruses, no ridiculous licensing code, and smooth updates. The only time I need anything Microsoft is if someone sends me a Word doc and OpenOffice doesn't quite get the layout correct, so I have XP/Office 2007 in a virtual machine.
Why aren't all Thai institutions using ThaiOS?
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barryw
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Discussion 9 : 25 Feb 2013 at 20.009
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If you run a pirated version of something as important as the operating system you are asking for trouble. I buy new laptops with only DOS installed and buy genuine operating software, which of course baffles the dealer. Then there is freeware for everything else, including Office.
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