COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
On Monday, July 9, a computer virus could disconnect your internet.
Now the FBI is urging Americans to get their computers tested before it's too late.
If you search July 9th on Youtube, you'll get a little panic and a little conspiracy.
It is hard for some to imagine life without internet, but hundreds of thousands could face it.
WIS Information Services manager Lane Marrs says the virus known as DNSChanger, tricks your computer into passing through servers run by hackers.
Try to picture websites listed in a kind of virtual phonebook.
"With this virus it's like somebody edited the phone book, so whatever name you look up, it may give you a number that will advertise you something, or even infect your computer further with other viruses," said Marrs.
Last year, the FBI busted the hackers responsible, but since millions had been infected.
The FBI couldn't just shut them down instead they hosted temporary servers to give people enough time to clean their systems.
Those servers switch off Monday.
The good news is that's relatively easy to find out if you have the virus and get rid of it.
The website www.dcwg.org is backed by the FBI and it lists a few different options for diagnosing and repairing your computer. The website will walk you through the instructions on how to check your computer and disinfect it if needed.
A process you'll want to run before Monday if you want to avoid the big switch off.
"It's not the end of the world," said Marrs. "The internet is still out there. Most of computers are not infected. And if your computer is infected there are ways to clean it."
The virus affects PC's and Macs.
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