Joined
·
19,576 Posts
The 'Conficker/Downadup' Worm Could Be No Joke this April 1
by EndUser at 5:49 PM PDT, March 27, 2009
In technology circles the first day of April, that is 'April Fools Day,' is generally not the best day for jokes, and version.09 will be no different. Sure we will doubtless see a few phantom products and/or stories spring out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. There is no harm in that necessarily, but then there is the annual worry about computer viruses. This year the concern making the rounds is over the Conficker, or Downadup worm.
This particular bug, in an earlier form has been around since late last year, spreading to many millions of mainly corporate computers around the world via a hole in windows. To date Microsoft has noted four different variants. The latest as recent as March 3. They are reportedly designed to spread from an infected computer to those it is networked to and visa versa, and apparently can also spread through file sharing and USB drives (the worm adds a file to the removable drive so that when the drive is used, the AutoPlay dialog will show one additional option). It has been found that once a host is infected the virus buries itself, possibly disabling or altering the workings of anti-virus software and keeps itself updated through a system which generates random domain addresses to contact for further instructions. According to Don DeBolt, director of threat research for CA, a New York-based IT and software company in an interview with CNN.com/Technology, the infections that have happened so far haven't spawned many symptoms, but according to a piece of code found, on April 1 a master computer is scheduled to gain control of the infected machines in a master/zombie scenario. Nobody really knows what will happen April. It could be that the date is a decoy or trick. It could be that this now huge network of machines could work together to trigger an intentional denial-of-service attack designed to bring down websites. Either way Microsoft is taking this very seriously.
They have offered a $250,000 reward for information leading to the worm's creator and aided in the organization of the Conficker Cabal, an ad hoc partnership of industry leaders and academia that are working toward mounting a global response to the worm. You can read more about Microsoft's efforts, Conficker Cabal and the worm here. Regardless, as the end of the month draws near you might want to wash your hands and ensure that your virus software is up to date.
--Tom Milnes
Source: Amazon Blog
http://www.enduserblog.com/2009/03/conficker-c-virus-could-be-no-joke.html
by EndUser at 5:49 PM PDT, March 27, 2009
In technology circles the first day of April, that is 'April Fools Day,' is generally not the best day for jokes, and version.09 will be no different. Sure we will doubtless see a few phantom products and/or stories spring out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. There is no harm in that necessarily, but then there is the annual worry about computer viruses. This year the concern making the rounds is over the Conficker, or Downadup worm.
This particular bug, in an earlier form has been around since late last year, spreading to many millions of mainly corporate computers around the world via a hole in windows. To date Microsoft has noted four different variants. The latest as recent as March 3. They are reportedly designed to spread from an infected computer to those it is networked to and visa versa, and apparently can also spread through file sharing and USB drives (the worm adds a file to the removable drive so that when the drive is used, the AutoPlay dialog will show one additional option). It has been found that once a host is infected the virus buries itself, possibly disabling or altering the workings of anti-virus software and keeps itself updated through a system which generates random domain addresses to contact for further instructions. According to Don DeBolt, director of threat research for CA, a New York-based IT and software company in an interview with CNN.com/Technology, the infections that have happened so far haven't spawned many symptoms, but according to a piece of code found, on April 1 a master computer is scheduled to gain control of the infected machines in a master/zombie scenario. Nobody really knows what will happen April. It could be that the date is a decoy or trick. It could be that this now huge network of machines could work together to trigger an intentional denial-of-service attack designed to bring down websites. Either way Microsoft is taking this very seriously.
They have offered a $250,000 reward for information leading to the worm's creator and aided in the organization of the Conficker Cabal, an ad hoc partnership of industry leaders and academia that are working toward mounting a global response to the worm. You can read more about Microsoft's efforts, Conficker Cabal and the worm here. Regardless, as the end of the month draws near you might want to wash your hands and ensure that your virus software is up to date.
--Tom Milnes
Source: Amazon Blog
http://www.enduserblog.com/2009/03/conficker-c-virus-could-be-no-joke.html
