Yahoo Servers Hit with Malware that May Have Infected Thousands of Users

Fox IT -- an Internet security firm reports that visitors to Yahoo site properties may have been exposed to the risk of malware that might have infected computers. Fox IT reports. About 9% of computers were infected after visiting Yahoo site properties.

The malware attack worked to redirect ad clicks to malicious websites, where malware was then installed on vulnerable computers. The malware included ZeuS, Andromeda, Dorkbot, Tinba, and Necurs.

The simplest defense against the malware is for the user to turn off Java, which is turned off in Internet Explorer by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen and selecting "Manage add-ons." Under the "Add-on Types," look for a section titled Oracle America, Inc. Right-click on any entry that starts with the word Java, and choose Disable. dOracle took ownership of Java following its acquisition of Sun Microsystems, which was shut down in 2010. 

The Microsoft Safety Scanner is a free downloadable security tool that provides on-demand scanning and helps remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. It works with existing antivirus software.