Lever action tutorial

[Blaze]

Just ignore the lack of trigger and muzzle discipline

Link deleted out of caution (CT_Shooter)
Blaze

[CT_Shooter]

Welcome to the forum from CT, Blaze. Glad you joined us. The link plays the movie Rio Bravo with John Wayne.

Just ignore the lack of trigger and muzzle discipline

Link deleted out of caution (CT_Shooter)

Blaze

[TMB]

Not sure about instruction but good video.

[Mistered]

but good video.

Yep - the best of the three 'Rio' movies.

Wayne & Dickinson's constant 'bickering' throughout the movie was priceless!

[cooperhawk]

Hey! Caution! I clicked onto that link and got a ransom war hit. It destroyed all of my bookmarks and file.
Don't know why anyone else didn't have that experience. Luckily I have Cync and everything backed up.

[CT_Shooter]

Thanks for the heads up. I can't say why that did not happen to me, though I'm glad it didn't. I did a search of the website and ransomware and found that it has been vulnerable to attacks. I deleted the link.

Hey! Caution! I clicked onto that link and got a ransom war hit. It destroyed all of my bookmarks and file.
Don't know why anyone else didn't have that experience. Luckily I have Cync and everything backed up.

[cooperhawk]

Thanks for the heads up. I can't say why that did not happen to me, though I'm glad it didn't. I did a search of the website and ransomware and found that it has been vulnerable to attacks. I deleted the link.

Certainly not your fault, but let me tell everyone what happened. I clicked on the link and got a red screen with the message that my files and pass words had been corrupted, and I should immediately call this number.
What I did do is pull the plug on the computer. It was too late. I lost all my bookmarks, email addresses, and emails. They threatened my files but did not get that done as far as I can tell. Fortunately I have a lap top
as well with all the info linked back and forth so I recovered most everything but the emails. Still working on it.

I have AVG protection, (which apparently didn't work), as well as LifeLock. Also Micro Soft has some protection built into Windows. None of it worked.

Here's the surprising thing, they actually went to my server and changed all my passwords on the server as well. I've been on a chat with them this AM and have got most of it straightened out.

I am in favor of the DEATH PENALTY for these people if and when they're found. Yeah, they're probably not in this country.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

Yeah, it's really too bad, but I am very cautious to what I click on from a new member like that. I got a little too comfortable once on a car site, but quickly shut it down, re-started, ran some scans, etc and got lucky.

Sorry to see you had some trouble.

[ChefDuane]

^ Same thing happened to me ie. ransomware attack. I immediately did a hard reset and started windows in safe mode, Ran a scan and it cleared a few things. Then normal startup and all has been well since.

[Mistered]

It was too late. I lost all my bookmarks, email addresses, and emails.

SO all you did was 'pull the plug' correct?
I assume then you discovered all this information lost after you restarted the computer?

The reason I ask is because typically UNLESS one responds to the scam and follows their instructions
to add programs or fake 'antivirus or 'malware' software the scammers cannot access your files, passwords etc. simply by through a 'Warning' (or 'Phishing') message. Think of a 'Phishing' message as an AD that pops up - but nothing can be ordered unless you continue to the site.

The 'Red Screen of Death' is a known WIndows error message which is not seen too often but has been known to be copied and used in scams such as this.

I have received the 'Blue' screen warning several times (another known, and more common, Windows error message) but simply closing the window eliminates the message and clearing browsing history ensures the link is out of the system with no further problems.

There are known scam messages which can 'simulate' your computer is locked however a warm boot usually clears it with no further problems.

This however is the confusing part:

they actually went to my server and changed all my passwords on the server as well. I've been on a chat with them this AM

'They' in the first part meaning the scammers?
'Them' in the 2nd part meaning you chatted with the scammers?

[cooperhawk]

This however is the confusing part:

they actually went to my server and changed all my passwords on the server as well. I've been on a chat with them this AM

'They' in the first part meaning the scammers?
'Them' in the 2nd part meaning you chatted with the scammers?

I did not communicate with the scammers at all. I communicated with the server who was able to get me the new passwords the scammers
had actually put on the servers system. I'm still working trying to recover my email addresses now. Luckily I have a laptop with most of them
on it. Problem is they changed the network password so I cannot send the files to my desktop. They even changed the password for me to
access Icloud. I still haven't solved that one yet.

[Mags]

I highly recommend everyone who clicked on the link, reboot their system in safe mode and perform scans. This could also be a sleeper program that gets downloaded and lays dormant.

[Mags]

.
I'm with Mistered on what he said. Clicking on a fake popup warning message is where the trouble starts. When the fake popup warning appears, don't do anything else and immediately reboot the computer. Clicking on the fake webpage or popup to try and close it will get you infected.

Now as far as how this fake popup happened to some and not others. That's likely caused by a rogue Dynamic Name Service (DNS) server on the internet. DNS is what resolves a url into a internet numerical address. Windows default as well as in your home router is for urls to get resolved randomly from the first responding DNS server on the internet. There are thousands of DNS servers on the internet. If you're unlucky, the rogue DNS server responds first and sends you to fake webpages or puts up fake popups. The rest of us never see the fake stuff because we got lucky by getting served from a legit DNS server. Both Windows and your router can be configured to use a specific DNS server. For example Google has several. That is what I have configured.

It was too late. I lost all my bookmarks, email addresses, and emails.

... typically UNLESS one responds to the scam and follows their instructions to add programs or fake 'antivirus or 'malware' software the scammers cannot access your files, passwords etc. simply by through a 'Warning' (or 'Phishing') message. Think of a 'Phishing' message as an AD that pops up - but nothing can be ordered unless you continue to the site.
...

[dave77]

Do the admins know if Blaze is a legitimate user? Joined back in April, has only made 1 post and it took some users to a scammer site.

[Mags]

.
We don't know that the site itself was a scam. Please read the DNS post above.

Do the admins know if Blaze is a legitimate user? Joined back in April, has only made 1 post and it took some users to a scammer site.

[JEBar]

Do the admins know if Blaze is a legitimate user? Joined back in April, has only made 1 post and it took some users to a scammer site.

several things are under review

Jim

[Mistered]

I communicated with the server who was able to get me the new passwords the scammers
had actually put on the servers system.

Just wondering when you say you 'communicated with the 'server' - who or what was this exactly? Do you mean your ISP?

A 'server' is typically a computer program or a device that provides functionality for other programs or devices and is not 'someone' (as say in customer service) you would talk to.

Just trying to help here and I am a little confused.

[dave77]

.
I'm with Mistered on what he said. Clicking on a fake popup warning message is where the trouble starts. When the fake popup warning appears, don't do anything else and immediately reboot the computer. Clicking on the fake webpage or popup to try and close it will get you infected.

Now as far as how this fake popup happened to some and not others. That's likely caused by a rogue Dynamic Name Service (DNS) server on the internet. DNS is what resolves a url into a internet numerical address. Windows default as well as in your home router is for urls to get resolved randomly from the first responding DNS server on the internet. There are thousands of DNS servers on the internet. If you're unlucky, the rogue DNS server responds first and sends you to fake webpages or puts up fake popups. The rest of us never see the fake stuff because we got lucky by getting served from a legit DNS server. Both Windows and your router can be configured to use a specific DNS server. For example Google has several. That is what I have configured.

It was too late. I lost all my bookmarks, email addresses, and emails.

... typically UNLESS one responds to the scam and follows their instructions to add programs or fake 'antivirus or 'malware' software the scammers cannot access your files, passwords etc. simply by through a 'Warning' (or 'Phishing') message. Think of a 'Phishing' message as an AD that pops up - but nothing can be ordered unless you continue to the site.
...

Where's a good place to find instructions on setting up your computer and/or router to use specific safe DNS servers, I haven't had any issues but it sounds like if your not set up right it's just luck of the draw that you're safe from scammers.

I'm usually pretty careful about clicking on suspicious looking links but I guess when I'm on a trusted forum I don't really think twice about clicking on links. Maybe that wasn't the issue but if I had noticed that Blaze only had one post I probably wouldn't have clicked on his link.

[PT7]

This "episode" has prompted me to dig a little deeper in the security areas of my Chromebook. When I started looking for some way to move away from MS and Windows 10 last summer, the statement made in this "How-to Geek" article was a motivating factor to consider a Chromebook:

One of Chrome OS’ biggest benefits is its inherent security features. It’s regarded as one of the most secure consumer-focused operating systems.

The article continues with ways to "eek just a bit more out of it." So got some more readin' and learnin' ahead. I did click on the link in question and was told to avoid it. Seems to have worked through the issue fine on my computer. But one never knows. There is always something lurking in cyberspace, isn't there?

PT7

[PT7]

Forgot to mention this in my last post here based on what you said, Dave, about HRF as a trusted forum.

I've noticed that to the left of the web address the site's security status can be checked. When I'm on the HRF, mine shows "Not secure." Clicking on that tab a window opens stating what not to do in order to protect my computer from an attacker stealing info. I'm not certain as a user if there is something I can do to mitigate/adjust this status. There's always something...

PT7

Where's a good place to find instructions on setting up your computer and/or router to use specific safe DNS servers, I haven't had any issues but it sounds like if your not set up right it's just luck of the draw that you're safe from scammers.

I'm usually pretty careful about clicking on suspicious looking links but I guess when I'm on a trusted forum I don't really think twice about clicking on links. Maybe that wasn't the issue but if I had noticed that Blaze only had one post I probably wouldn't have clicked on his link.