Skip to Content

Free TUAW iPhone app -- try it now!
AOL Tech

conficker posts

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Security, Ask DLS

What Conficker headlines do you want to read tomorrow?

Sophos Labs' Graham Clulely authored a blog post today asking users for the best Conficker headline they've read. Pretty much all the major antivirus providers have announced that 1) most users are safe because the required Windows patch has been available since October via Windows Update and 2) there's a good chance nothing at all will happen tomorrow.

Since it's April 1st, though, let's have a little fun with this one. Here are a few I'd like to see. Submit yours in the comments!

Conficker turns into the world's biggest RickRoll

Hey, it goes off on April 1, so why couldn't it be a colossal prank? The original is kind of tired, though, so maybe Conficker might opt for something more like Interior Crocodile Alligator - which isn't at all horrible, so you should definitely click the link.

Read more →

Filed under: Internet, Security, Windows, Microsoft

Countdown to Conficker

We're now less than a week away from the scheduled activation of the latest variant of the Conficker worm and experts are still unsure if this is all a hoax or a set-up for security disaster.

The worm, which targets an exploit in all versions of Windows from Windows 2000 forward, including Windows 7, started spreading last fall and several variations have subsequently appeared. Although Microsoft released a security patch in October, unpatched machines can still be infected and newer variants make removing the worm more difficult.

To add insult to injury, the worm attaches itself to USB devices like thumb drives, making it that much easier to infect machines on a large scale.

But it's not all doom and gloom. If you or someone you love has a machine infected with the Conficker worm, there are plenty of resources out there to get things back under control.

BitDefender has a tool that can remove the latest Conficker variant from both single PCs and a Windows network. From what I've read, the BitDefender tool is the best at getting the latest variant, and it would be my go-to pick. Symantec, Kaspersky and ESET also have removal tools and McAfee and AVG can grab the virus from on-demand scans.

To help stop the spread of worms, you can also disable AutoRun so that worms and other malicious code can't spread through external media.

And of course, it's crucial to stay on top of the latest security updates and to run an anti-virus program, if you are a Windows user. You don't even have to buy a program, as Lee pointed out last month, there are lots of great free options available.

Have you had to clean-up a Conficker infected PC? What are your tips and tricks?

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Microsoft Security Essentials
Chromium Pre-Alpha on CrunchBang Linux
Safari 4 Beta
10 Firefox themes that don't suck
IE8 RC1
Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party
Download Squad at the Crunchies
WordPress 2.7
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Windows 7 Hands On
Comodo Internet Security
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff
Adobe Lightroom 1.1

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

More Tech Coverage

AOL Radio

Joystiq

TUAW

Daily Finance

Autoblog

Urlesque

Engadget

WoW

Switched.com

FanHouse