[telecom69]

Computer Worm Goes Out Of Control


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A computer virus attacking Microsoft Windows has infected almost nine million machines and is spreading faster than ever before. Skip related content
Related photos / videos Computer Worm Goes Out Of Control Experts say the worm has "skyrocketed" in recent days.

It is sweeping through thousands of offices in the UK and has affected computers at the Ministry of Defence.

The virus - known variously as Conficker, Kido or Downadup - burrows deep into the operating system and tricks the machine into running the infected program.

Once the worm is running on the computer it automatically starts to download more malicious programs from hackers' websites, with devastating effects.

The majority of computers infected by the worm, which was first identified in October, are in Russia, China, Brazil and India. But the virus is now taking hold in the UK.

The worm has password cracking capabilities, often successful because company passwords sometimes match a predefined password list that it carries.

Eddy Willems, a security analyst with anti-virus firm Kaspersky Labs, said that a new strain of the worm was now causing additional problems.

Computer users are advised to ensure their anti-virus software, operating system and firewall is up to date, and that they have installed a Microsoft patch designed to combat the problem.

Experts have also warned the virus could spread by copying itself to USB memory sticks shared between computers, and urged users to use caution.

[SIR****TMG]

Thanks

[Byteman]

Help with the infection:

http://tech.msn.com/security/article...entid=16883197

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/v...s_cid=wlgadget

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/962007

[RootbeaR]

It was over 10 000 000 last week, now it is down to 9?
Sounds like it is coming under control, not out of control.

http://forums.techguy.org/tech-relat...ed-faulty.html

[Byteman]

I think it just depends on how they round off the guestimates

It's a lot any way you look at it.

[RootbeaR]

Originally Posted by Byteman

I think it just depends on how they round off the guestimates

It's a lot any way you look at it.

Most definitely.

If you look at link I posted earlier you will see that there is a real fix for the issue as MS screwed up the first fix.

[Byteman]

I have seen that info, thanks, hope everyone takes the advice!