April Fools Day and the Conficker Worm/Virus

[HNguyen]

I've [and everyone at my school] been receiving e-mails from the tech dept urging us to run Windows Updates sometime today and install all critical security patches, as well a updating our anti virus software to ensure that it is running the latest virus definitions before tomorrow.

I don't know if its real or not, but its better to be safe than sorry eh?

Some links to help you keep your machines secure. Good luck~

http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us Microsoft Update

http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

[Clint Kisor]

The April fools day prank is most likely getting everyone worried about a virus when there isn't one at all. Eh?

[Not Pink]

actually the conficker virus is a serious bug, and a nasty little bitch to heal to. it's already infected millions of homes and offices, and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

Windows either right now, or in a few hours will have an update ready and waiting for installation. this update does indeed limit your chance of infection greatly, but like a lysol commercial, there's that .01% chance it'll get through.

if you haven't lately, update your virus and spyware protection software. most, if not all, have been updated to deal with it and block it on it's arrival.

most important things you can do:
-limit all connections tomorrow (there goes my torrentz)
-update windows
-update your protection software
-DO NOT SHARE ANY PERIPHERALS (the conficker HAS been noted that it can jump from computer to computer from usb drives, mp3 players, etc.)
-back up now, even if you don't get infected, hey, you can save yourself down the road if you need to load-from-backup anytime soon, and if you do get infected, it's pretty easy to wipe and load the back up.
-dont download anything, even from a trusted source, this thing is brutal.

really, even though it is all this nastyness, it's nothing to new to the virus community, it's just a little more bastardly. I'm just going to limit my connections, not download anything, and I'm updating as I type, so I'm fairly confident that I'll get through tomorrow just fine.

that, and I'll just run Ubuntu or gentoo from the other partition on my computer :P

[FraserMcT]

Yeah, but don't worry about it too much. If you have a legitimate version on windows that gets automatic updates, then you have pretty much nothing to worry about.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker

Read this.

There are 3 variants, all of which have already been patched over.
Wikipedia says that Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Vista have already been patched to secure said vulnerabilities.

Read the symptoms section.

Now go to

http://www.mcafee.com/uk/

http://shop.symantecstore.com/store/symnahho/en_US/DisplayHomePage/pgm.5937500/ThemeID.106300

http://www.f-secure.com/en_EMEA/

Can you access them? Yes? Then you're not infected.

Is Windows Defender working? Is windows sending error reports when programs crash? Yes? Then you're not infected.

The last appearance of Conficker that has been patched, was March 9th, 09.

There have been 2 other conficker attacks as well as the March 9th one. One on the 21st of November 2008, and the other on the 29th December 2008.

Is your computer still working? If you didn't catch the virus then, what are the chances of you getting it now?

All of these variants have been patched, and do nothing.

I've googled this, and an article that was posted about 40 minutes ago says this:

One scary thing about Conficker is that it spreads without human involvement, moving from PC to PC by exploiting a security hole in Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system. The hole was fixed in October, but if your computer doesn't get automatic updates from Microsoft, you could be vulnerable.

See that? The hole/vulnerability was fixed in October. So if you're not stupid and keep your PC up to date you're fine.

So see what Web sites you can visit. If you can navigate the Internet freely except for sites owned by Microsoft or antivirus vendors such as Symantec Corp., McAfee Inc. or F-Secure Corp., your PC might have Conficker or a similar bug.

So go to the windows website. You can get on it right?

I for one wont be turning off my internet. I can connect to all the websites I showed and everything else listed under symptoms is fine for me.

And a last note, I read somewhere earlier today, Conficker uses stupidly named domain names to infect your pc, like mspfx.com (not an actual infection site, just an example) So chances are you haven't got it.

If you're still shitting yourself, google "microsoft malicious software removal tool" download and scan. Update your system as much as you can.

[arttorney]

Macs are said to be safe.

Much like Not Pink proposes to do, I just run Linux. It'll be interesting to see if the internet is still working tomorrow.

[CGMonkey]

The conficker update has been out since November last year I think. You're not vulnerable if you've updated your machine since.

[Rist]

Not sure that I care. Mac says 'wah?' to viruses.

[Crush]

Not sure that I care. Mac says 'wah?' to viruses.

You do know that macs can still get viruses... right?

[arttorney]

Truly. They all can get viruses. Conficker just attacks Windows based systems, but there's other stuff out there attacking other systems, other stuff attacking various browsers, attacks on wireless network integrity, and people are even writing malicious code to attack blackberry devices, etc. What a pain in the ass!

[crashMMVII]

Just don't be an idiot, downloading .exe's that you know nothing about.

[Rist]

You do know that macs can still get viruses... right?

Not on your life matey. :mod:

[Not Pink]

Not on your life matey. :mod:

... I can't wait till your proven wrong... not out of spite or OS fanboyism, it's just kind've funny to be that diluted to think that.

as surprising as it sounds, yes, both linux and Macs can get viruses. it's just that most viruses are commercial rather than for "laughs" nowadays, and the general populace has more windows than macs. You want to spread a bio-weapon through america? you wouldn't put the virus in cream soda, you'd put it in coke, makes sense. That and it's just easier to write a virus for a windows than the others, not due to the OS's flaws but by the sheer amount of info there is out there for windows rather than the other OS's.

Look up info from the yearly "PWN2OWN" competitions and tell me which OS is easiest to take down :P

[Rist]

Only you guys are debating about my posts, which proves that you guys are windows fanboys. I have a right to applaud the mac because I have not had to 'clean' it or protect it from viruses since I bought it (over a year now). Stop been a jealous snot and get back to defragging your bugged to hell system.

[Brushcommander]

Only you guys are debating about my posts, which proves that you guys are windows fanboys. I have a right to applaud the mac because I have not had to 'clean' it or protect it from viruses since I bought it (over a year now). Stop been a jealous snot and get back to defragging your bugged to hell system.
6/10
I almost raged.

[chriskot]

Seriously guys? Does this really have to be another Mac vs. PC argument? Seriously?

All that matters is how careful you are with the stuff that you put on your computer. I've never had an issue with my computer (which is running Vista), whereas my brother has had to wipe and reload his Mac a few times. Yes, it's easier for the less-secure Windows systems to get viruses, but some of that is just because there are so many more viruses built for Windows computers. Not Pink is basically right with the cream soda / coke analogy. Viruses exist for everything. Some guy even came up with a proof-of-concept virus for infecting cell phones a little while ago. If you can get on the internet, you can get infected with something. Not necessarily Conficker, but possibly something else.

This basically sums it all up: http://gizmodo.com/5101337/giz-explains-why-os-x-shrugs-off-viruses-off-better-than-windows

[B u r l]

It's been blown way out of proportion... I don't think the internet is exploding, yet.

You're fine if you're updated and have a firewall.

[Pezz]

Hey look. Its past april 1st. My computer has not exploded nor slowed down. Hoorah.

[Not Pink]

Only you guys are debating about my posts, which proves that you guys are windows fanboys. I have a right to applaud the mac because I have not had to 'clean' it or protect it from viruses since I bought it (over a year now). Stop been a jealous snot and get back to defragging your bugged to hell system.

No we were not debating Mac vs. PC, we simply stated how daft it is to think that a Mac is a "get out of virus jail free" card.

and really for anyone else thinking one OS is better than an other in terms of viruses, it has nothing to do with itself. Mac is no harder or easier to write and execute viruses for than Windows. Remember, it's not the OS we should be mad at, it's not that companies fault. It's the bastards that write the viruses in the first place. Sure the OS's companies can better prepare themselves, but hey, it's not the easiest thing in the world, it's the same reason there's no cure for the common cold; everything is just evolving too rapidly.

tl;dr
Mac is not better than windows.
Windows is not better than mac.
It's all based on preferences.
people who write viruses can all go suck some ass.

can we at least agree on that instead of shouting "OMG FANBOI" when someone tries to debate you with valid points?

[Aaron Death]

Not a shit happens to me.

Somehow, some people always act funny on April Fool's day.