Hey everyone,


So, a friend called me up telling me that there's this April Fool's joke (if you'd call it a joke) that's going to go in effect tomorrow, April 1st, about a worldwide computer virus that will infect all PC computers and steal every single ounce of information that you have or put on the computer (phone numbers, credit card numbers, etc.). I thought it was something not to worry about, that it was another hoax like the apparent Wal-Mart gangs that will shoot one woman, child, and man on a certain night.

She then called me again and told me that she had called her uncle who works for the Apple company, and he is certain that it's not a hoax and it will actually happen. I went onto Yahoo! and found this article:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/132464


I really don't know what to believe, but PCs are the targets, and Macs are still safe -- for now. My friend said that if you have a Dell, you can prevent this virus if you go to the Dell support page because apparently they have something that will help stop the virus. I'm not sure, I'm using a Mac.

The Yahoo! article brought up a good point, saying that the virus producer person thing might not release it tomorrow, and may release it another time when it's less expected. Whatever happens, and whether it's real or another hoax, I just thought I'd let you guys know. Call me gullible, but this is something well broadcasted to the point where you can't tell if it's real or not (War of the Worlds radio broadcast, anyone?).

Sean

I think it's a real threat.  The following is from a reliable source.

April 1st Confickr Worm Threat

Perimeter eSecurity would like to update customers on a previously released bulletin regarding critical Microsoft patch MS08–067 and its association with the Confickr worm. Since the release of our first bulletin, over 3 million unpatched machines have been infected with malicious software as a result of the Confickr worm. Next Wednesday – April Fools' Day – millions of computers that have already been infected by the Confickr worm, also known as "bots", will be used to receive orders from controlling machines and possibly leveraged in malicious activity. Once these orders are received, the infected computers may be used to send out malware, e–mail scams/spam, viruses, or may even be used to steal information from the affected host. The computer must already be infected by the Confickr worm in order for it to be used in this potential threat that is to occur on April 1st.

If you are unsure if your Windows machine is infected by the Confickr worm, please use an anti–virus to scan your machine. Anti–virus signatures to detect Confickr worm activity are available.

** Please note, Windows machines that are patched with the MS08–067 update are not affected by this threat. This patch was released October 2008**

The Confickr worm (aka DownAdUp/DownUp/Kido) spreads itself primarily via a buffer overflow vulnerability in the Server Service on Windows based computers. The worm uses a specially crafted RPC request to execute its coding on the target computer. Once the worm is executed on the system, it disables a number of system services such as Windows Automatic Updates, Windows Security Center, Windows Defender, Windows Error Reporting, or possibly other anti–malware/virus protection programs. The worm also receives orders from a main server that can tell the worm to download more malware, steal information, or spread to other systems. Some of the system services/processes to which Confickr worm is known to attach are svchost.exe, explorer.exe, and services.exe.

** If you do not have the MS08–067 patch installed, it can be downloaded from Microsoft via the link below or by using Windows Update. If your Windows machine is infected by the Confickr worm you can download the Microsoft Removal tool below the Security Bulletin link. **

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08–067.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

It is important to note that propagation methods for this worm have been detectable on the network since October 2008, when the patch was released. Other potentially undetectable propagation methods include any writable media plugged into an infected system such as a USB drive.

It's apparently in 20 million computers now, i'm not joking, good thing I have Avast for tomorrow.........

That's why I use Macs only.  ;-)

I prefer Linux, but I'm out voted by my family who wants windows.

This isn't the first time I've heard of a virus hitting the entire internet on a given day.  Personally, I think this is all bullshit.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe This isn't the first time I've heard of a virus hitting the entire internet on a given day.  Personally, I think this is all bullshit. Phil

That was my first reaction when my Dad told me about it, but he wouldn't give up, so I started looking.  I read that they are certain that whoever created this was a team and highly funded.  Frankly, I think it's a ploy by Microsoft to root out users with illegal copies of Windows who can't use Windows update.

Quoted from dogglebe This isn't the first time I've heard of a virus hitting the entire internet on a given day.  Personally, I think this is all bullshit.

Good.  More duct tape and plastic sheeting for me!

I work in IT and for the last week, we have been patching our computers. There is evidence that the virus exists, but what it will do is up for debate.

Basically, the fear is that many computers already have the virus and sometime on April 1st, a server somewhere in the world will turn on and activate whatever the virus does. There is a $250,000 reward for information leading to the virus' creator offered up by Microsoft.

Now - that being said, it will most likely be nothing tomorrow, but it we were not going to sit back and cross our fingers.

:-)

Stew

It's everyone running around like mad with worry that the nutters who create this stuff really love.

Isn't it April 1st in Australia already? Has anything happened there or is it not going to activate until it hits the US...

All good here in Aus. It's around 2 in the afternoon on the 1st of the month.

This is what I've found:

Quoted Text Conficker task force members tracking Internet traffic in Asia and Europe after clocks struck April 1st there said there was no sign that the worm was doing anything other than modifying itself to be harder to exterminate. Conficker had been programmed to reach out to 250 websites daily to download commands from its masters, they said, but on Wednesday it began generating daily lists of 50,000 websites and reaching randomly to 500 of those.

It's 'digging in'.

Quoted Text Cyber-criminals have taken advantage of Conficker hype by using promises of information or cures to lure Internet users to websites booby-trapped with malicious software.

I almost got bit by one of those Sunday night, but Avast spotted it!!  I love Avast!!

I dunno, I'm still waiting for it to hit. I think it's like the Y2K bug, it's more hype then reality.

This is all bullshit, nothing's gonna dsafrds..01010..adf<zzzx what's afgf..f.otw.5fa..0.rqo.11 happening? ..fsfdg0ixoi0icj71fzz8g..92na............

nothing yet.


Phil

That's what you think.

Have you heard anything?  I haven't.


Phil

Just joking...but, how would you know if all your personal stuff has been lifted off your CPU?

Quoted from sniper Just joking...but, how would you know if all your personal stuff has been lifted off your CPU?

I think Phil was lifted off his computer and replaced by a robot that's trained to call the whole thing a farce.

It's possible, but I can't be certain.  The robot and Phil write the same way.

Quoted from Shelton I think Phil was lifted off his computer and replaced by a robot that's trained to call the whole thing a farce. It's possible, but I can't be certain.  The robot and Phil write the same way.

That would sure explain a lot. I mean...in general.

I hope it doesn't make the internet go away. I like it. I want it to be around for at least another year.

Quoted from theMADhatter I hope it doesn't make the internet go away. I like it. I want it to be around for at least another year.

THE INTERNETS IS FOREVAS!!!!!111!11111!!!!!1 ROFLCOPTER!  FTW!!11!!!!!  :P

You've instilled my confidence in the eternal glory of the internet.

Quoted from theMADhatter You've instilled my confidence in the eternal glory of the internet.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Quoted from theMADhatter I hope it doesn't make the internet go away. I like it. I want it to be around for at least another year.

How crazy would it be if the internet just stopped working?

It would completely change my life.  It's interesting to think about how.

More importantly:

Quoted from steven8 Frankly, I think it's a ploy by Microsoft to root out users with illegal copies of Windows who can't use Windows update.

Oh nonsense. Anyone worth their salt who can install an illegal copy of Windows knows how to add the magic code to the registry to make Microsoft think it's a legal copy and get the updates...

Um...not that I have an illegal copy of Windows or anything.

Quoted from Higgonaitor How crazy would it be if the internet just stopped working?

Impossible.  They're taking such great strides to make our lives so much easier.

http://mail.google.com/mail/help/autopilot/index.html

Quoted from George Willson Oh nonsense. Anyone worth their salt who can install an illegal copy of Windows knows how to add the magic code to the registry to make Microsoft think it's a legal copy and get the updates... Um...not that I have an illegal copy of Windows or anything.

Is this your computer, George?

Quoted from Shelton Is this your computer, George?

Nah, that's the one with Unix on it that I sometimes load MicroXP on with the credit card sized LiveCD I made. The one with Windows XP Pro is under the desk next to the Ubuntu machine and runs on the pizza box monitor on the flip side.

I wonder how many people fell for the Google April fools joke!  ;D

I still remember last year when people where amazed that you could now send e-mails and put any date on it. Making it look like you sent the e-mail a few weeks earlier than you did for example.

I bet they have a lot of fun the people that work at Google!

In the tech industry, it would be my dream employer. However, I'm looking in the film industry. Thankfully Google is harder to get into.

OH NO!  WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY COMPUTER!  ALL MY FILES ARE ERASING AND I CAN'T STOP IT.  ALL MY PERSONAL INFORMATIONS HAS BEEN COPIED AND TRANSFERED TO A FOREIGN LOCATION.  IF ONLY I LISTENED TO EVERYONE ABOUT THIS CURSED VIRUS!!!!

Just kidding.  My computer's fine.  Really.


Phil

My wife just called.  UPS has apparently dropped the usurped King of Nigeria, as well as 25 million dollars on my doorstep.

Thanks, Conficker Virus!

It's been established that the Conficker worm is an elaborate April Fools prank by Microsoft.  See this article for more information.

Quoted from mcornetto It's been established that the Conficker worm is an elaborate April Fools prank by Microsoft.  See this article for more information.

That's Bill Gates when he's NOT in disguise!!!  I just knew Microsoft was behind all this. . . .

FWIW, Snopes says it's real: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/conficker.asp

It's a real virus, for sure.  It's just a matter of what's going to happen with it.  I know it's like crying wolf, so folks don't take it seriously, but one day it may come back to bite us in the rear.

It's a real virus no doubt, but I think the effects are vastly overstated. To individuals infected, I think yes, it is something that's a concern but I don't think it's as massive as people think.

And honestly if I was infected, it'd be rather pointless for a hacker to do so. Just in the sense that you're not going to get anything of worth from me.

Well, perhaps it's started, sort of.  I never get more than two junk emails a day in my Yahoo Inbox, and I just had ten show up.  That was on of the possibilities of this stupid thing, the dreaded. . .Spam!

But I like Spam.

Shut Up!  Bloody Vikings!

Spam is a good thing, for a spambaiter like me! ;)