The Conficker worm (or is it Conflicker, no-one seems quite sure), did not wreak the havoc expected of it on the first day of April and many are now saying that the whole thing was an elaborate hoax, or, at the very least, a media scare story.

But, for others, the panic was justified. The Conficker worm does exist and has already affected many millions of computers. And if anything, at least the scare provoked many people into getting protection for their computers.

And for those that think it was all over played, then lets just remind ourselves what the Conficker is capable of. It’s a very invidious piece of malware which can effectively sit on your computer and when activated, will allow another pieces of software to be loaded which will then take control of your computer. It starts by deactivating your security programme and prevents it from getting crucial updates.

It will then install programmes which do a number of nefarious things. It might track your bank balance, or once you pay online for something, it might send off your credit card details to a person who will then start using it themselves. And once on your computer, it will await instructions from its creator, who will update it via thousands of random web addresses. And for a lot of people, they won’t even realise that they have a problem, as the worm will sit there, biding its time before it can inflict maximum damage.

Let’s not kid ourselves, the Conficker is a true technological parasite.

Yet incredibly, recent reports show that in the U.S. for example, nearly 20% of business computers remain unprotected against viruses.

Microsoft have quickly offered updates and patches to help close the hole that the Conficker was exploiting, but what worries many is that the worm loves networked computers and once in, can quickly work its way to thousands of machines which are linked together. The major concern is that the Conficker could be sitting in the networks of many large corporations, waiting for a key moment to strike. Imagine if a major utility was seriously struck by such a worm, the results could be catastrophic.

So, lets not be complacent. The Conficker is not a media creation. The Conficker is a clever, parasitic worm which is out to rob you. So, if you panicked after all the media stories, then good, because if you ignore it, you might see the results as someone clears out your bank account, or enjoys a spending free on your credit card.

Always run a reputable anti-virus programme. Never surf, email, or network without protection. It’s that simple.

But don’t let the scare-mongers fool you into buying free, or cheap anti-virus programme from a company you do not know. This, for many industry experts, was the true intention behind the Conficker scare stories. Get people worried, then offer them bogus anti-virus software which does the same as the Conficker. Don’t be fooled by that one. Use companies you know and pay a decent whack for your security.

Don’t let the Conficker make a fool out of you.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Don’t like being made a fool of, so now I’m in a panic about my computer being infected with the latest wretched computer virus, the Conflicker.

It’s meant to hit on April Fool’s day and it is a particularly nasty little *****! The Conficker – odd name that, maybe some geek’s sense of humour – is anything but fun. It penetrates your computer, shuts down your security software and prevents updates reaching you. It then sits there, waiting for orders from the mother ship, and once activated, will allow its creator to download onto your computer a piece of malware that will happily syphon off your personal details, bank details and anything else it feels like using. In other words, it’s a right little so and so.

So, I’m sitting here in a panic, with anti-virus software running in the background like a demon, wondering how I can beat back the Barbarians from my gates.

Right, calm down, have just read that all is not lost. First, they point out that although around 12 million computers are infected, this particular Conficker variant is really an update, and is looking for previous versions already sitting on computers. So, if you’re currently clean, then you should be okay. If not, then oh dear, but I’m just going to run a quick test myself.

Okay, deep breath, I have to first check that I’m connected to the internet. Right, yes, I can get the Google page, thank goodness for that, good old Google. Next, find the Microsoft site, or the site supplying my anti-virus software. Right, lets go to Microsoft, afterall, the Conficker is designed to penetrate Windows-based operating systems, so lets start at the top. Right, onto the Microsoft website and yes, if I can run the Windows Update successfully, I’m not infected with Conficker.

Yes, it works, thank the Gods; I’m clean.

For those that can’t successfully run the Windows Update, or indeed, can’t update their security programme from the company’s website, then you may have the Conficker burrowed somewhere deep inside your computer.

If so, you’ve got problems. Contact your anti-virus software company, maybe by email, and ask what to do. Look on the Microsoft site and follow their instructions. If that doesn’t work, you could back-up your data, reinstall Windows and then go straight onto the Windows site and download the latest security patches.

And finally, pray, that Conficker doesn’t come knocking again.

Guest Article by Neil Camp