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The Herald website is a dangerous site that could harm your computer -  Google issues warning 

                                                    Staff Reporter 19-08-08                                  

World leading Search Engine company Google has issued a warning to internet users about browsing the Zimbabwe state run Herald news website calling it a dangerous website ‘that could harm your computer’

The state owned paper has become the first Zimbabwean news site to be listed among the world's most dangerous sites in the world. A search engine warning first appeared at the end of July on Google’s data machine screaming the warning:

‘We want our users to feel safe when they search the web, and we're continuously working to identify dangerous sites and increase protection for our users. This warning message appears with search results we've identified as sites that may install malicious software on your computer’ - Google

IT specialists believe that this could be a result of meddling with various unorthodox Chinese software the State run machinery has engaged in order to destroy all anti government websites.

Currently, site tests are carried out by MacAfee’s Site Advisor, the online database engine which tests websites for compatibility and authenticity. MacAfee provides this service to customers who own the MacAfee Site Advisor package. However, for such a warning to have come from a public search machine like Google throws light into the seriousness of the matter.

Logging onto an infected website caries the same effects as opening an infected virus on your machine. According to experts at z-a-recovery.com :

If a filesystem went down due to the virus attack and was subsequently recovered, the files restored from the damaged volume will still contain dormant virus copies. These files should be cleaned before they enter the working system. The virus will lay dormant until you launch one of the infected files or open an infected document. Unless an infected file is opened, you are safe.

The warning continued with the following instructions:

You can choose to continue to the site at your own risk. However, please be aware that malicious software is often installed without your knowledge or permission when you visit these sites, and can include programs that delete data on your computer, steal personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers, or alter your search results. For more information on these types of sites, please visit StopBadware.org

Concerns were also raised recently when an illegal hacker located on Chinese soil was reported to have temporarily disabled an anti government website zwnews.com in July. During the same month that this occurred, Google simultaneously issued the above warning from its search engine database.

Readers have also been advised to exercise caution when browsing all other Zimpapers publication.