Fears of a Conficker Meltdown Greatly Exaggerated

BobB-nw writes "Many have been worrying that the Conficker worm will somehow rise up and devastate the Internet on April 1. These fears are misplaced, security experts say. April 1 is what Conficker researchers are calling a trigger date, when the worm will switch the way it looks for software updates. A 60 Minutes episode about the worm on Sunday will stoke concerns. But the worm has already had several such trigger dates, including Jan. 1, none of which had any direct impact on IT operations, according to Phil Porras, a program director with SRI International who has studied the worm. 'Technically, we will see a new capability, but it complements a capability that already exists,' Porras said."

Comments

Never happens.

[coniferous]

The Media...? Exaggerating?

that never happens.

/Here, have some cool aid.

Re:Never happens.

[danwesnor]

Yeah, that was a sham job.

Script: Leslie's Virus Story

Software Guy's office:

Leslie: "There's this thing called a worm out there that's going to steal all your money and destroy the world, you know, it'll be bad. Cats and dogs lying down together and all that."
Software guy: "Buy our software or your bank account will be emptied. Please watch this sham demo."
Leslie: "Wow, I got a Facebook from Andy, let me just go ahead and delete that..."
Software Guy: "No no no no no!! You have to pay attention to Andy or your money won't be stolen."
Leslie: "I see. So that's why nobody's had their money stolen yet. You're not just on the show to sell your software, are you?"
Software Guy: "Nah, you can trust me. I'm a software guy, not a banker. But if you don't buy it, some Russian kids will get all your money."
Leslie: "Is there any other way to protect your computer, like installing the latest Windows patch?"
Software Guy: "You're really not good at playing along, are you."

Cut to interview with woman who's money was stolen because she didn't have Software Guy's latest product:

Woman: "I saw it transfer money from my account to my son's account right before my eyes."
Leslie: "Really? Right before your eyes."
Woman: "Yeah."

Woman's password is clearly visible on Post-it note on monitor. It's "password".

Leslie: "So you have virus software?"
Woman: "Yeah, it came with the computer. But after 30 days it started asking me to renew the subscription for $30, sooo..."
Leslie: "I see. Did you consider a Mac?"
Woman: "I'm not cool enough for a Mac. If that hot, skinny redhead isn't cool enough for a Mac, what chance do I have?"

Virus Expert's office:

Leslie: "What does this cornflucker thing do anyway?"
Virus Expert: "Well, nothing so far, but that could change. One day it's going to take all your money and destroy the world. It's going to be bad. You won't believe what the cats and dogs will be doing."

Conficker and friends are great.

[h00manist]

Help keep my job interesting. And more relevant. Geez, now I'm in league with the narcs - if there's no crooks, I'm out of a job.

Re:windoze tardz

[morghanphoenix]

And your inability to spell out your words or use proper grammar makes you so much better, yes?

Re:Updates

[troll8901]

Also, the authors may not have any reason to update it just yet - it seems to be quite successful in its current iteration. They may be waiting for a buyer to purchase a block of the botnet for example.

No, it's because the authors slipped the deadline again.

My best answer

[symbolset]

Don't be a target. Use some system that doesn't have these problems.

Re:I wish the creators had something useful in min

[ConceptJunkie]

Destruction of property is not helpful for the economy.

How that be? I've been watching Congress and the President and clearly they think destruction of economy is helpful for the economy...