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Countdown to Conficker
We're now less than a week away from the scheduled activation of the latest variant of the Conficker worm and experts are still unsure if this is all a hoax or a set-up for security disaster.The worm, which targets an exploit in all versions of Windows from Windows 2000 forward, including Windows 7, started spreading last fall and several variations have subsequently appeared. Although Microsoft released a security patch in October, unpatched machines can still be infected and newer variants make removing the worm more difficult.
To add insult to injury, the worm attaches itself to USB devices like thumb drives, making it that much easier to infect machines on a large scale.
But it's not all doom and gloom. If you or someone you love has a machine infected with the Conficker worm, there are plenty of resources out there to get things back under control.
BitDefender has a tool that can remove the latest Conficker variant from both single PCs and a Windows network. From what I've read, the BitDefender tool is the best at getting the latest variant, and it would be my go-to pick. Symantec, Kaspersky and ESET also have removal tools and McAfee and AVG can grab the virus from on-demand scans.
To help stop the spread of worms, you can also disable AutoRun so that worms and other malicious code can't spread through external media.
And of course, it's crucial to stay on top of the latest security updates and to run an anti-virus program, if you are a Windows user. You don't even have to buy a program, as Lee pointed out last month, there are lots of great free options available.
Have you had to clean-up a Conficker infected PC? What are your tips and tricks?
Comments
13
Subscribe to commentsriku5464Mar 26th 2009 5:07PM
Panda has a tool out to make it easy to disable autorun.
http://www.pandasecurity.com/usa/homeusers/downloads/usbvaccine/
It also lets you disable autorun for a certain usb drive, not all of them.
AsgaroMar 26th 2009 7:54PM
I don't wanna sound like a jerk or something, but I'm actually very curious to see what's gonna happen April 1st.
Mass hystery on the internet would be something nice... xD
mbdMar 26th 2009 8:36PM
Bet you're glad you're on a mac now, eh?
hazardMar 27th 2009 8:46AM
I bet MS is glad it's servers are now sitting behind Akamai ..
Dan Houser 82Mar 28th 2009 2:49PM
MAC users have it, they just have no way of telling lol. especially since they think security is no issue. ...pompous asses.
Jon Doe.Mar 28th 2009 1:15PM
Nope because if I was on a Mac it would suggest that I'm an idiot. Macs are for users who are too stupid to know how to run their computer. If people had run Windows Update or had windows manage their updates automatically then this worm would have never occurred. Instead you have this shit. This is no different then if a Mactard didn't update one of a shit load of security updates that Apple has released over the years and someone took advantage of it.
JetMar 27th 2009 4:21AM
LOL!!! Im thinking a vaction in Hawaii for a month...or at least until microsoft tracks down the guy who did this...
johnMar 30th 2009 9:57AM
I had clean-up an infected PC with this worm, I've patched the PC with the October security update of M$, I've change computer password into as combination of alphanumeric with some capital letters. I had updated my AV.
Andrew MerrickMar 27th 2009 2:33PM
I'm uncertain is to whether I can take any precautions to protect my PC from this or future viruses.
This site has been very helpful so far: http://www.justaskgemalto.com.
RobertMar 31st 2009 5:18PM
I have Ubuntu on my computer so i wont get this virius. Thats why Ubuntu is better than windows. Even tho you can do everything that you can on windows you can still do most of it and there are no holes for these viruses
CarlApr 1st 2009 3:25AM
Ah, panic mongers galore. This is the perfect opportunity to boost sales and such. The truth is 70% or more of computers out in the world today are not updated (For reason related to fear as well) or have outdated antivirus software. The truth is in all my years of working on and fixing computers, I have yet to scan a clients computer that did not have something bad on it. From the rather unimportant tracking cookie, to things much much worse. Even in doing maintenance scans (standard non-issue calls), I will find something whether or not the computer is updated. If you are on the internet and use it, you have something on your computer you do not want. What this new threat is said to be able to do is nothing new. How this bug propagates, is nothing new, all bug software does it in the same way. All spyware, viruses, adware and yes even the tracking cookie comes from internet servers. And attaching to removable devices, not new either. The showboating of companies to "warn" people about the threats, are really only interested in selling you a product, theirs. Yes keeping your computer up to date is the right thing to do. Yes keeping your antivirus up to date is the right thing to do. But I predict that more computers will become infected with bad things tonight because of the hoop-la tonight and the last few weeks or whatever, because many, many people will tonight download a bunch of free bug removal software they have never heard of, from companies and people they have never heard of because the software will be offered for free and people have now been given a deadline for computer Armageddon. This hype will do more damage then it will help. People who have neglected their computers will still do so, as soon as they get the chance. Running regular scans takes time and "my computer is for doing stuff with, not waiting for a scan of some sort. I have better things to do." attitude. If your not wasting 3 or 4 hours at least every week, scanning your computer you are a threat to everybody else connected to that computer by way of the internet. Don't panic people you have probably had something just like this or worse on your computer for quite some time and up until now you haven't noticed or cared.
CarlApr 1st 2009 3:54AM
Oh, I just wanted to add. I have Autorun disabled just because I like to be able to decide what I want to do when I attach a removable drive or insert a CD/DVD. This will not help to not spread any virus or whatever if you manually access the device or drive. As soon as you open it, manually, your infected. Just as if Autorun had done it. If you do not want to get infected this way, the process is not that complicated, but it is kinda a pain to do every time you access a usb device. Create a user on your computer with low level (read only) privileges, and assign this account as owner of the device and all its contents before you open it. What ever is on the device will not have the privileges to write anything on your computer if you are just viewing it. But if you copy it into an account that has read/write privileges, it will make no difference. So basically there is no way to really protect yourself this way if you plan on using anything on the usb device. Catch 22, you just can't win.
eddieApr 1st 2009 1:06PM
I have delt with the conficker virus once before but I beat it. I have many resources at my disposal but the most mportant one is my father who was in the navy for many years whos job was to prevent computers from breaking down or getting infected with something. One way to remove from a thumbdrive is to format it as it should take care of it. One way to remove it from your PC if you happen to get infected is go to http://www.avg.com and download their free version of virus protection and it should take care of it it did for me. In a worst case scenario the only thing that can be done is formating your hard drive(s). But back anything you might need up first. Do this and it should be taken care of.