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| Thread ID: 57276 | 2005-04-28 07:25:00 | Trojon Dailer causing huge $$$ on phone bills, what do you guys think about this? | CCF (6760) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 349904 | 2005-04-28 09:50:00 | If it's one of the usual "Premium Rate" numbers, Telecom are more than capable of blocking the numbers and, AFAIK, have considered doing so. It is done by other operators in other countries so I don't see why it can't be done here. For one it is considered an involuntary intrusion. Of course the numbers can be changed at source but it doesn't take long to pick up on and cater for it. |
Murray P (44) | ||
| 349905 | 2005-04-28 09:59:00 | Another layer of protection would be an antispyware app like Spybot S&D's Tea Timer or Microsoft Antispyware's Realtime protection, as they constantly watch over the computer and will kick up a fuss when some nastyware like that tries to install | Edward (31) | ||
| 349906 | 2005-04-28 10:05:00 | Another layer of protection would be an antispyware app like Spybot S&D's Tea Timer or Microsoft Antispyware's Realtime protection, as they constantly watch over the computer and will kick up a fuss when some nastyware like that tries to install Take note of the advise that has already given in the post by Ninja. The only sure way to prevent them being installed is to be careful what you click on when surfing web sites. Quote. Also, dialers are not spyware and not viruses. They will not necessarily get picked up by SpyWare/AV software. A firewall won't do diddly-dick about them and in spite of Telecom's best efforts to convince people other wise, Xtra can't block them. |
Safari (3993) | ||
| 349907 | 2005-04-28 10:13:00 | Quote. Also, dialers are not spyware and not viruses. They will not necessarily get picked up by SpyWare/AV software. A firewall won't do diddly-dick about them and in spite of Telecom's best efforts to convince people other wise, Xtra can't block them. bollocks. a fiewall can pick them up and stop them. i've had plenty of people whose firewalls have stopped them. now only if i could teach not go go clicking "free porn" all the time ;) btw whose quote was that? |
tweak'e (69) | ||
| 349908 | 2005-04-28 10:15:00 | Here's a letter from PCWorld and an answer from G Palmer. Doesn't contradict anything but adds a bit. Letter of the Month Put premium rate diallers on hold Geoff Palmer’s article on premium rate diallers (July issue) contained solid advice. The most sensible option for dial-up users is to use a firewall and to have Telecom block access to 0900 numbers. The following is Telecom’s description of its service: “0900 Call Blocking is a versatile service that allows you to prevent 0900 calls being made from your home phone.” I use ZoneAlarm and thought Telecom deserved a chance. There’s a catch: I only found it when I filled in the form. Telecom again: “An 0900 Call Block can be made at your request for no charge. Specific 0900 number ranges have been allocated to the different types of 0900 services available. You can block calls to all 0900 numbers, specific 0900 numbers or all 0900 numbers except for specific numbers of your choice.” I arranged an 0900 Call Block, but the first catch is in Telecom’s reply: “Please note the 0900 bar will only stop charges from New Zealand-based 0900 calls and modem dialler calls appearing on your bill.” Why stop with one hook? Every angler knows two hooks are more effective: “As an 0900 bar will not prevent charges from international modem diallers, you might also want to consider having an international toll bar installed. There is a charge for this service.” Ed Bickerstaff via email I imagine blocking access to local numbers is somewhat easier than doing the same for all international numbers. For a start, foreign ‘pay per minute’ numbers aren’t necessarily prefixed with a convenient ‘0900’. There’s been a long-running scam in the US, for example, where people are asked to dial a number prefixed 809, which takes them to the Dominican Republic at $US25 per minute! The best option, as you suggest, is a firewall. Properly configured, ZoneAlarm will alert you to any unusual dialling attempts and put you back in charge of your PC. What’s more it’s free. Geoff Palmer |
mark c (247) | ||
| 349909 | 2005-04-28 10:25:00 | I thought it would be a dailer though my spware prog showed up nothing, HijackThis didnt help much too, everything is updated >_< Sorry, don't believe you. I bet you missed something. feel free to post your Hijackthis log in the required place. I removed exactly this dialler the other day, I found it, so can you. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 349910 | 2005-04-28 11:50:00 | A firewall won't do diddly-dick about them bollocks . a fiewall can pick them up and stop them . i've had plenty of people whose firewalls have stopped them . Two conflicting views from experienced techs . :confused: This is all most interesting but I would like to understand a bit better how these dialers do work . My logic tells me that if the computer is running and online when they try to dial out then they need to disconnect the computer from the internet in order to do so . How can a firewall prevent or alert someone to that?? It wouldn't be trying to access the internet like a spyware program so surely it would not get an alert in that case? I would have thought that the computer gets disconnected because the dialer is trying to dial out, much like someone picking up the phone to make a phone call disconnects an online connection . When that happens there is no warning from a firewall so why would it alert a user to a dialer doing the same thing? Is it possible that there are different types of dialers so that both tweak'e and ninja can be right, depending on which one is involved? I hope that makes sense . . . it's late and my head hurts . :p |
FoxyMX (5) | ||
| 349911 | 2005-04-28 11:56:00 | Make a new connection,hit connect,see if your firewall red flags it. Easy enough. I would do it myself,but i have no modem...... |
Metla (12) | ||
| 349912 | 2005-04-28 12:00:00 | its quite simple. virtually all malware type dailers are of the type that have a program that makes the pc dailout. the firewall simple picks up thats it a program doing it rather than someone clicking a dailup networking entry. also some interact with a program to hide the phone number being dailed. again the firewall picks up that program intereacting with the dailup. the legit ones i have seen simple make a dailup entry and you have to click it yourself. i'm fairly certain a firewall will not pick those up due to its a person clicking the entry rather than a program doing it. |
tweak'e (69) | ||
| 349913 | 2005-04-28 12:11:00 | Wish I had a modem, I could visit some dodgy porn site and click their instant access button to see what happens,anyone else keen to be a guinea pig? | Metla (12) | ||
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