PC Conflicker Warning Alert and Protection Information

Conflicker is a wily computer worm that is dangerous and very infectious and turns your own computer traitor, spying on you online and lifting sensitive information transferring them to identify thieves and hackers globally. Theoretically , with an attached webcam, hackers can even track your movements at your own home. All these are accomplished without you even knowing about it.

Conflicker surfaced in October, 2008 and targets the Microsoft Windows system (Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 Beta and Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta) exploiting a previously patched vulnerability. Malicious Conflicker hackers use advanced Malware techniques to duplicate information and send it to other nodes or computers on the network. Conflicker worm is an exceptional difficult for law enforcement and network operators to combat this crisis. Social networking sites are rich and prime as hacker targets.

ABC anchor, Charles Gibson who is at the G20 Summit n London issues this warning today, "Malicious hackers controlling your PC and you might not know anything about it," threatening your computer and network, all just one click away."

His warning resonates what other national stations alerting the American public of the most serious yet computer worm that slithers into your computer with a false click on an attachment or a link of any number of websites. CBS 60 minutes reveals some surprising sites vulnerable to Conflicker include eBay, the Miami Dolphins football team, even my.barackobama.com. and even CBS in early March. It took CBS' aggressive "24/7 over 10 days to hunt and quarantine the affected computers" to eradicate the wily worm.

It is estimated that about 10% of US computers are hijacked and taken over by illegal computer tools, call Botnets (a collection of computers illegal hackers have infected and harnessed together into an illegal supercomputer to commit crimes; bot is short for robot is defined as a computer).

Heading the list, Conflicker is dangerous and very infectious. Once this wily worm infects a computer, it harnesses the processing power to link to a super computer called the botnet which is controlled by hackers. Controlling Bohnets by organized global circles of cyber criminals (much like drug cartels) , and the Bohnests are very powerful and profitable tools that are being maximized by hackers to send out 80% of the world's spam for identity theft, decode codes to access massive corporate data bases.

Steve Trilling, a Symantec vice president says that the scary and shocking report is that Conficker infiltrated in your computer is a sleeper cell (a Trojan) just waiting for further instructions on the next cause of action by Conflicker creators with a mere touch of a key. And in a flash of an eye, an ominous disaster of sucking and siphoning sensitive information (bank passwords and account numbers) out of millions of computers or a launching of spam attack to jam communication systems take place.

Who are Conflicker targets?

1) Most targeted are businesses don't regularly update their desktops and servers in their networks.
2) When computer in a network is infected, other computers in the same network become vulnerable.
3) Home computers that are protected by a firewall, are at less risk. However, a laptop that could pick up a worm for a company network could launch attacks on home computers.

How do you if you're infected?

Caution: How do you if you're infected?

1. Your computer is suddenly running very slowly when you don't have many programs opened which may be a sign of somebody else invading your computing power.

2. To verify the invasion, close every program particularly email and then hold down "ctrl" "alt" and "delete" simultaneously. Choose "task manager" and then choose "performance" which will a graph showing usage. If it shows a large percentage of your computer's processing power is in use, even though your PC is not running any programs, it may indicate that your PC is used by someone else.

3) Also in task manager, using the "networking' tab, you can check if your internet connection is in heavy use even when your email and other programs are closed, is another sign of an invasion.

4) In extreme cases, your computer may be locked up for hours, converting the PC to become a spam sender controlled by a hacker. Check your email "sent" box and if there are messages there not sent by you, it's a bad sign that the cyber crook has harnessed your computer . That's a big problem, and an internet service could blacklist you.

15 Ways to Protect your PC

(be mindful that any vulnerability opens your PC to Bohnet which is always trolling for any target).

1) Easiest action: a) disconnect from network whenever the internet is not required, b) Don't leave computer on, "Sleep" mode is not good enough. Turn it off! Leaving turned on computer connected to a network service leaves your PC vulnerable for hackers access and taking over.

2) Another easy action: install a router or a software firewall, worth it even if you only use a single machine. Routers have a built-in firewall providing an added insulation between your PC and the open internet.

3) "A windows Update" pop up asks if you wish to download. Yes.

4) Most obvious and vitally critical protection is to make sure the Microsoft patch is applied.

5) Install reputable internet security and set the mode to automatically updates whenever the PC is on. New yearly subscription continues to protect you, and last year's program is not current enough to safeguard your computer.

6) Network administrator is recommended to use a blocklist provided by F-Secure in an attempt to stop Conficker to connect to web sites.

7) Disable Autorun so that a PC won't suffer automatic attack from an infected USB drive or other removable media when it's connected. The Internet Storm Center links to one method for doing so at http://nick.brown.free.fr/blog/2007/10/memory-stick-worms.html, but the instructions involve changing the Windows registry and should only be attempted by administrators or tech experts.

8) Download free software selectively. Fake anti-virus programs created by criminals lurk freebie seekers who are then trapped with an infectious virus. Never gamble, but KNOW and ensure your software is safe.

8) Practice safe-computing, and beware of unknown email and opening attachments. a) Delete unknown emails, or ones with undefined subjects, reporting them to phishing box. b) NEVER respond to any financial institution requiring personal information of username, PIN, address and other personal information, but easy bank verification by bank if necessary. c) Pop ups, don't click them unless you know it is safe. "Esc" or click "x" to get rid of it. d). Stay away from questionable websites that habor embedded worms, especially those enticing you with money or gifts.

9) Minimal participation of any social networking system (near impossible).

10) If one must social network for "friends" or AC purpose, only share an appropriate level of information or created a separate blog for family with password restriction.

11) Use a new username and password just for unimportant trivial accounts and social networking.

12) Have a separate credit card with a low credit for online shopping.

13) Check credit card and bank balances for inconsistencies.

14) On some rare situations if you have trusted banker who knows you well, inform him of any expenses of anticipated high expenditure or travel, and for the ban k to contact you of any spiked spending or any unusual spending pattern.

15) Turn the internet off when you walk away.

There is no guarantee that the devious Conflicker can't come up, but it threatens to wreck havoc siphoning your sensitive information.

Here is the warning from Microsoft:

VIRUS ALERT about the Win 32/ Conflicker .B worm http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide

If your computer is infected with this worm, you may not experience any symptoms, or you may experience any of the following symptoms:

• Account lockout policies are being tripped.
• Automatic Updates, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Windows Defender, and Error Reporting Services are disabled.
• Domain controllers respond slowly to client requests.
• The network is congested.
• Various security-related Web sites cannot be accessed.

For more information about Win32/Conficker.b, visit the following Microsoft Malware Protection Center Web page:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Entry.aspx?Name=Win32/Conficker

Sources for this article:

CBS News with Charles Gibson

Symantec.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ConfickerWikipedia

Protecting Against the Rampant Conflickwer Worm http://www.pcworld.com/article/157876/protecting_against_the_rampant_conficker_worm.html

Snopes.com

The Conflicker Worm: What Happens Next http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4898393n

Transcript (The Conflicker Worm: What Happens Next) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/27/60minutes/main4897053_page1.shtml

Protecting Against the Rampant Conflickwer Worm http://www.pcworld.com/article/157876/protecting_against_the_rampant_conficker_worm.html

Conflicker Real Virus http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/conficker.asp

Hackers Tap Computers to Commit Crimes http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=7220736&page=1

Malicious Cyber-Crooks Attack Hundreds of Personal Computers Each Minute http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Story?id=7220736&page=1