Conficker Virus Scheduled for April 1st
Posted on Mar 31, 2009 - 6:25pm by Wayne Weisser in Laptop Security
Scheduled to do what? Something different than what it’s been doing.
Am I infected? If you read Laptop Security at Life on the Road, you’re not.
It’s almost April 1st, I don’t have time to read! If you’ve turned on Windows Update and are getting regular updates, Microsoft patched this months ago.
This thing has made more headlines than Britney Spears, even a segment on 60 minutes. Even if you have it, nothing will happen to your data. If you really are infected, your PC is a zombie in a bot network. A soldier in an Army of computers used for attacks on websites and it can act as a sender of spam. If you are infected you won’t notice because the owners of Conficker / Downadup (same thing) don’t want you to know. They want to borrow your machines processor and bandwidth.
If you have been running Windows Update automatically, you’re fine. If you want to know for sure go to the Start menu, click on RUN (Vista: Type Run), then type MRT for Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool. If you’re on Vista you will need to run as admin or give it the admin password to run. If you’re on XP you need to be logged into an admin account. If you always run as admin, shame on you and read Laptop Security.
You can click on “View a List of Malicious Software…” and scroll down to Win32/Conficker to make sure MRT is up to date. Click Next, choose a Full Scan just to make sure and click Next.
If you’ve made it this far, you don’t have it.
This worm turns off Windows Update, removes any restore point, turns off Windows security and any running anti virus program (because when you downloaded it as Administrator, you gave it Admin rights so it can do all that stuff). It will also redirect or not allow you to go to Anti-Virus and other security sites. This thing does not want to be turned off.
What if you really have it?
Turn on Windows Update. If you have it, you may not be able to do this. Then what? You can download an anti-virus or Microsoft’s MRT to another computer, then use a USB Flash drive or something to move it from the good computer to the infected computer and run it.
Seriously, I have it, I’m on the road and can’t get to another computer. Don’t sweat it, if you’ve waited this long, a little longer won’t hurt. Nothing is going to happen on April 1st, you’ll still be able to use your computer.
How did I get it in the first place? Either by downloading an infected program, inserting an infected disk (USB or other type) or connecting to an infected network.
How can I prevent this from happening? In reality, you can’t, that’s why DON’T run as Administrator and you keep your Windows up to date. You can increase your chances by not doing peer to peer networks (music and movie sharing (stealing) bit torrents for example) and not downloading programs from untrusted websites or accepting programs from strangers.
Here’s the official Microsoft page that explains all about it, symptoms and how to remove it. Win32/Conficker
If you want to remove it by hand with no other computer, Microsoft has step-by-step instructions. Or leave a comment and I’ll help you out.
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Something terrible happened. April 1. I was on my laptop. I felt funny. Sore throat. Ears hurting. Coughing. Hairs on my back standing up. Stomach hurt. Oh no! I had trouble breathing. What the? I looked in the mirror. Damn! I HAD BEEN INFECTED WITH THE CONFICKER VIRUS!!! It has somehow jumped right through my Dell up though my fingers deep into my brain. It happened in California. No wonder! It has been a week and a half. I haven’t been the same since. I need to get home to see a doctor. I need some CONFICKER antibiotics! It has done considerable damage so far. There was the morning after I was snowed in up in WY off I-80. The highway opened again and I drove 45 miles in the wrong direction before I realized that I was doing and had to turn around. I put my tarps on backwards. I gave a customer 6 20ft pipe by mistake. I lost my drivers license and credit cards. CONFICKER has had its way with me. I called those “Nerds” at Best Buy to no avail. Someone in Mumbai with Microsoft recommended meditation. I can’t sleep or eat. I need help. I’ve been OTR for four weeks – again – I want to go home for help, but I can’t find Florida on the map. My GPS just smiles at me. HELP! CONFICKER has “conficked” me. Ahhhhhhhhh.
Sounds like someone needs help, but not with his computer. Guys with white coats may be involved.