"0wnzored"

I opened a web browser yesterday and typed "wikipedia Sri Lanka" into the search box, intending to look up a throwaway reference I read about a country I wish I knew more about. Instead, I got a dire warning from Roadrunner that I was broadcasting illegal traffic and they would terminate my account if I didn't resolve the issue within 24 hours!

I had to read the agreement, and then click "I acknowledge this responsibility" at the bottom before my internet was turned back on. Then they directed me to a "so you've been pwned" site with extensive instructions on how to fix my computer.

I was baffled for a little while, until I realized they weren't talking about bittorrents on my mac, but were instead saying my PC had been hijacked. D'oh! Of course, that makes perfect sense, I do tend to install programs of dubious origin on my PC with no research or forethought. (Hey, risk vs. reward- there's nothing on that PC I'm afraid to lose, so who cares?)

Anyway, long story short, Roadrunner directed me to a pretty impressive Java applet called "Trend Micro Housecall" which prompts your browser to ask "do you trust this applet to access your hard drive?", and then proceeds to scrub your PC quickly and thoroughly. Another pass from adaware, and I was as right as rain (or at least as right as rain as I can tell with my free tools).

Wow, what a boring adventure!