Beware Conficker worm come April 1

[Hound dog]

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/128643

This thing looks nasty. Personally..........I plan to have my computer totally off on April 1st.....all day.

One thing I don't quite get though........now is this thing something that sneaks in via email or such........or is it already there, on peoples newer computers ready to be activated on that date?

Dh says the latter is true. Which seems a bit huge to me. They'd have to gain access to computers in factory to do that. hmmmm

Just be informed and uber careful guys. This is not an early april fools joke.

Hugs

[klmno]

Thanks, Lisa! I've had to tackle several viruses and such on my computer already- it hoovers.

[flutterby]

If your computer is already infected with the worm, leaving the computer off on the first won't protect you. It will just start when you turn your computer on the next day.

Best things to do are:

Make sure Windows is updated
Make sure your anti-virus program is updated AND running

If Windows updates aren't current, update now.

ETA: Run the free ms scanner first. If you already have conflicker, it will pretend to update but won't.

[flutterby]

I sent the link to a computer guru friend of mine via IM and this is what he said:

let me read it to see how overblown they've made the threat

that's not going to do any good [re: leaving the computer off]

if they are infected with the worm, it will just start when they reconnect their computers or turn them on

this article is over the top

first, 9 million infections is nothing

at first conficker was a joke

it wasn't until 2 versions later that it gained any teeth at all

so saying it "topped 9 million infections" implies that's a lot when it's not

plus, as long as you are up to date with windows updates, you're fine

the only people who *can* get infected are those who slack off, and frankly they deserve everything they get [he's a bit serious about computer stuff...hehehe]

this article is just [****]

it won't come under control 4/1. it's already there. the owner of the worm can do whatever he wants now.

if he wanted to steal personal info he'd have already done it

same with wiping hard drives

*and* malware popups

does this writer even own a computer? [referring to the author of the article]

I trust my friend with computer issues more than anyone else. In 6 years, he's never steered me wrong.

[Marguerite]

Gotta love Apple Mac. Especially when you've got it set up ro run free of Microsoft.

Did you know that the world's greatest oxymoron (aka constradiciton in terms) after "army intelligence" is "Microsoft Works"?

Marg

[eekysign]

IMHO, conficker is the new Y2K. I saw this coming a few weeks ago---underground rumblings, then a few news reports, and now 60 Minutes is hand-wringing and wailing. There's nothing else that the media has to report on of the "OMG WILL KILL YOU DESTROY YOUR LIFE EEK EEK EEK" variety, right now. We were way overdue for a mass hysteria.

Flutterby's friend said everything I was thinking. Clean house, be sensible online, and you'll 99.999999% always be fine. I've been active on the net since 1996, and I've never once had a virus of any sort. Don't go to sketchy websites, don't open emailed files unless you a) know the sender and b) expected a file from them/asked if they'd sent it out, and don't-don't-don't live without an anti-virus program. AVG is free, and works very well.