Conficker virus --- what to do?

Internet & Technology(co

ntinued)

Big news on every radio, TV and Internet security site was about the Conficker virus last week.  Nobody looks to newspapers to keep them up to date on such things.  The Net is just too fast for print..  So far it has not surfaced as of this writing (April 2, 2009).   However,  one of our Computer Scientists from the far east (we use a computer science expert who lives in Thailand for regular advice on Net and Operating System issues.  He is a former Microsoft Guru, now working in the far east).

We thought his advice is good for any problem of this type, so  please take heed.  You can bookmark this page or use our search engine to find this article in the future.

I'm getting requests for info about the conficker virus.

This advice  applies to computers or virtual machines running MS WIndows or Vista, nearly every edition and variant.

For ordinary users, the Malicious Software Removal tool from Microsoft is your best bet: Click Here

Note: if your system is infected, any virus may prevent you from accessing the site above.

In this scenario, you must download the repair executable file using an uninfected computer, and then transfer the file to the infected system. (Technology Editor's Note... we've had to do this for client's computers).  If the fix is by instruction only, you still many have to print it on another person's computer

We recommend that you burn any repair file to a CD because the burned CD is not writable. Therefore, it cannot be infected. If a recordable CD drive is not available, a removable USB memory drive may be the only way to copy the update to the infected system.

If you use a removable drive, be aware that the malware can infect the drive with an Autorun.inf file. After you copy the update to the removable drive, make sure that you change the drive to read-only mode, if the option is available for your device.

(next column)

02/04/2009 09:09 PM

If read-only mode is available, it is typically enabled by using a physical switch on the device. Then, after you copy the update file to the infected computer, check the removable drive to see whether an Autorun.inf file was written to the drive. If it was, rename the Autorun.inf file to something like Autorun.bad so that it cannot run when the removable drive is connected to a computer.

Of course you must have a firewall and good detection/repair software.  If you don't have that, then you are playing with fire.  If you don't understand the words, call on a local service provider.

We've advised you in the past to stay away from Outlook Express and Convert to something like Gmail or Hotmail.  They are mail providers from the two largest computer software companies in the world and they offer you an added safety net because they try to detect problems sent through the mail.

You can also travel with them.... they are long term winners.  Outlook Express is really legacy software from Microsoft.  Their mail platform is Hotmail and Google's is Gmail.  Google does not believe in local mail.  They are correct.

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