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…but we still apparently don’t know what it is going to do…
Experts believe that the mystery update will record users’ keystrokes
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The Conficker worm has started to update infected machines with a mystery package of data.
Computer security firms watching the malicious program noticed that it sprang into life late on 8 April.
The activity on its update system delivered encrypted software to compromised machines. It is not yet clear what the payload contains.
The Conficker virus variants are thought to be present on millions of PCs around the world.
Or both?
According to Breitbart.com, “A tenacious computer worm which has wriggled its way onto machines worldwide is set to evolve on April Fool’s Day, becoming harder to exterminate but not expected to wreak havoc.”
The virus is such a concern for Microsoft that they are offering a $250,000 bounty for information.
Like many items in the news, perhaps this will be a non-news item. Also, keep in mind that Wednesday just happens to be April Fool’s Day. Regardless, the steps below are recommended in all cases and at all times.
What does it do?
1. The worm is programmed to modify itself on Wednesday to become harder to stop.
2. It can infect machines from the Internet or by hiding on USB memory sticks carrying data from one computer to another. Once in a computer it digs deep, setting up defenses that make it hard to extract.
3. Malware could be triggered to steal data or turn control of infected computers over to hackers amassing “zombie” machines into “botnet” armies.
4. A troubling aspect of Conficker is that it harnesses computing power of a botnet to crack passwords.
So, what can you do?
- Always make sure important data is backed up on your computer. Hard drives crash all of the time and viruses add an extra threat.
- Open Internet Explorer and visit http://www.windowsupdate.com and download all available critical and security updates. Including all of the Service Packs. Note: While these updates are certainly necessary and highly recommended, they have been known to cause temporary problems of their own on a case by case basis. While the updates are usually seemless, be prepared for possible update challenges.
- Step number 2. should download the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, which includes the cleaner for the Conficker virus, but for good measure, download the software directly here. Open it and run a full scan.
- Be sure to have a good Internet Security program. The top rated Internet Security software according to PC Magazine is Norton Internet Security 2009, and I concur. You can download NIS2009 from here. If you have another antivirus program running, be sure to uninstall it first.
- (4. a.) – There is a couple of free antivirus programs out there if you do not want to purchase NIS2009. One is AVG, which can be found here, and the other one, which I am starting to use more than AVG is AntiVir (Available Here) because it now includes a pretty good spyware detection and removal tool.
- Click on the links of your virus software to run updates and then run a full system scan.
It may sound overwhelming, but if you take it one step at a time, you should be alright.
testing a post to three different blogs.
The new phone number for Karl Frank Jr. Consultants is 314-518-7352. The old number, 314-892-7200, will no longer work.
SpeedRead
SpeedRead is a tool for increasing your ability to read and retain information. SpeedRead can read an text file and display the words sequentially. The user can adjust rate words are displayed, the number of words displayed at a time, and the minimum number of letters to qualify a word. A performance counter clocks the actual number of words displayed, the total time and time between word groups.
Teachers or users can also later test reading comprehension by administering a quiz based on the material displayed. SpeedRead is a useful tool for improving reading comprehension tests such as the SAT, PSAT MCAT and LSAT.
SpeedRead steams words at you forcing you to pay constant attention and helps you learn to read groups of words rather than reading single words at a time. SpeedRead also has an adjustable rate of speed so that you can learn how to process streams of information at an increasing pace.
Self-Destructing Message [ DestructingMessage.com ]
What is DestructingMessage.com?
DestructingMessage.com is a free service which enables you to send a self-destructing message to someone. This means, once they read the message they will no longer be able to read it again after the timer has reached zero. This ensures your message is read by no one but the reader and all evidence of the message is erased. Messages are also anonymous unless you add any identifiable information to your message.
PC World – 12 Sly Web Tricks That Put You in Control
12 Sly Web Tricks That Put You in Control
Turn a Wi-Fi thief’s world upside down. Send an e-mail that self-destructs. And ensure that your boss thinks you’re always hard at work. These tweaks and tools let you gain the upper hand.
Adam Pash, PC World
Aug 27, 2008 12:04 am
Official Gmail Blog: Little things that matter
Little things that matter
Thursday, August 28, 2008 8:30 AM
Posted by Prakash Chandran, User Experience Designer
Seemingly small improvements can make a surprisingly big difference to people who use our products every day. Take Google Calendar, where over the past few months we’ve made a bunch of little improvements in direct response to feedback from our most active users.
Microsoft Releases Free Virtual Desktop Manager for Windows
Microsoft’s sysinternals team has released a useful software utility for Windows called Desktops that allows you to have four virtual desktops at the same time. You can use the virtual desktops feature to run multiple applications at the same time with out cluttering your desktop.
50 Free Windows Software Alternatives
Microsoft Windows bundles a number of software applications in order to provide a basic experience, such as Internet Explorer, Wordpad, and others. In this article, we’ll be listing replacements for basic Windows software and utilities. If you have a suggestion, feel free to list it in the comments.
