Nasty worm

JSP · 22 January 2009, 00:08

Picked this up from another forum....

....nasty worm..estimated to have infected around 9 million computers so far, thats estimated so the real ammount could be double or trable that. Mostly the people who are spreading this have not activated it as yet so there is still time to avoid this horrible critter.

Here's some info on the worm..http://www.microsoft.com/security/po...32/Conficker.B

Here's a link to the page where you can download a tool to see if its already on your machine and get rid of it if it is..http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

And here is a link to download a windows update file to protect against it...http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../MS08-067.mspx

jwalker · 22 January 2009, 00:24

If you subscribe to Microsoft update service on your computer, you should already have the fix installed.

You can easily check to see whether it's installed; win 2K & XP: control panel>add/remove programs> go down the list and look for: KB958644. Vista is: control panel>Programs & Features> View update history.

If you don't subscribe to the service, you should do...now!

JSP · 22 January 2009, 00:37

I said the same thing and this was the response...

....updates are posted once a week by Microsoft...who wants to wait 6 days for the next automatic update roll out?

New worms and viri are found on a daily basis and as such most good AV software or malware removers will find and deal with them. I was warned about this critter last night by an IT tech whose opinion on security I trust, and in general terms its a real nasty. You can wait for updates if you like, but I would not have posted it if it was not serious.

jwalker · 22 January 2009, 00:44

Don't get grumpy, I'm just sayin'. My machine has been automatically updated with the fix for a few days now so it is worth having Microsoft Automatic Updates enabled.

Just had a rake around at Microsoft and although it's mentioned to be an issue for Vista on one page, according to the Microsoft Knowledge Base it is not an issue for Vista and there has been no fix issued. Versions of 2K and XP are at risk.

However, it was automatically installed on my Vista on 7th Jan 09. Confused dot com.

JSP · 22 January 2009, 08:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker

Don't get grumpy, I'm just sayin'. My machine has been automatically updated with the fix for a few days now so it is worth having Microsoft Automatic Updates enabled.

Just had a rake around at Microsoft and although it's mentioned to be an issue for Vista on one page, according to the Microsoft Knowledge Base it is not an issue for Vista and there has been no fix issued. Versions of 2K and XP are at risk.

However, it was automatically installed on my Vista on 7th Jan 09. Confused dot com.

Grumpy? What makes you think I'm getting grumpy

Was just copy and pasiting his reply to the same thing

Just read back and I can see why you thought that. Should have put quotes in,

I said the same thing and this was the response...

Quote:

"....updates are posted once a week by Microsoft...who wants to wait 6 days for the next automatic update roll out?

New worms and viri are found on a daily basis and as such most good AV software or malware removers will find and deal with them. I was warned about this critter last night by an IT tech whose opinion on security I trust, and in general terms its a real nasty. You can wait for updates if you like, but I would not have posted it if it was not serious."

DJL · 22 January 2009, 11:50

KB958644 affects all current Windows operating systems; XP, Vista and Server 2003/2008. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958644

If you have windows update enabled then the patch should have been installed ages ago. My computers were updated on the 8/11/08.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSP

....updates are posted once a week by Microsoft...who wants to wait 6 days for the next automatic update roll out?

Just to clarify - Microsoft release updates on the second Tuesday of the month, not weekly. If a bug is being exploited in the wild they will break the normal release cycle and distribute a patch asap - they've had to do this a few times in the last few months.

alystra · 22 January 2009, 16:04

Mine on 26 October.

Avocet · 22 January 2009, 17:03

Mine on 23 October (Windows XP).

tinker · 22 January 2009, 18:33

Was that the update that crippled internet access for zone alarm users? Now where's that linux distro

Andy Moore · 22 January 2009, 18:47

Get a Mac.

tinker · 23 January 2009, 11:26

Or boot Linux from a usb stick and use it for the internet, no firewall, no anti virus and no cost. After using it for a couple of months now I really believe that Linux has started to make in roads into the windows empire, it has come on a lot in the last 2-3 years.

Thats not knocking apple mac as its a great OS as well, but £££.

C2 RIBS · 23 January 2009, 16:20

Is this worm the same as this latest report I have been sent?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/te..._r=1&th&emc=th

JSP · 24 January 2009, 09:52

I wondered that too Ian. Saw it on the bbc news last night. But if people have had updates for it already

Unless the guy I quoted from has the wrong info.

DJL · 25 January 2009, 21:28

Yep - same one.

Microsoft released the patch for it on the 15th October - unfortunately there are a lot of people out there either running without automatic updates enabled, or an old, unsupported version of Windows (ie XP SP1)

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01...ker_worm_feed/