More Windows worms & "lax security practices"
Worm Infects Millions of Computers Worldwide
Excerpt:
A new digital plague has hit the Internet, infecting millions of personal and business computers in what seems to be the first step of a multistage attack. The world’s leading computer security experts do not yet know who programmed the infection, or what the next stage will be.
In recent weeks a worm, a malicious software program, has swept through corporate, educational and public computer networks around the world. Known as Conficker or Downadup, it is spread by a recently discovered Microsoft Windows vulnerability, by guessing network passwords and by hand-carried consumer gadgets like USB keys.
Experts say it is the worst infection since the Slammer worm exploded through the Internet in January 2003, and it may have infected as many as nine million personal computers around the world.
Worms like Conficker not only ricochet around the Internet at lightning speed, they harness infected computers into unified systems called botnets, which can then accept programming instructions from their clandestine masters. “If you’re looking for a digital Pearl Harbor, we now have the Japanese ships steaming toward us on the horizon,” said Rick Wesson, chief executive of Support Intelligence, a computer security consulting firm based in San Francisco.
Many computer users may not notice that their machines have been infected, and computer security researchers said they were waiting for the instructions to materialize, to determine what impact the botnet will have on PC users. It might operate in the background, using the infected computer to send spam or infect other computers, or it might steal the PC user’s personal information.
“I don’t know why people aren’t more afraid of these programs,” said Merrick L. Furst, a computer scientist at Georgia Tech. “This is like having a mole in your organization that can do things like send out any information it finds on machines it infects.”
Microsoft rushed an emergency patch to defend the Windows operating systems against this vulnerability in October, yet the worm has continued to spread even as the level of warnings has grown in recent weeks.
Earlier this week, security researchers at Qualys, a Silicon Valley security firm, estimated that about 30 percent of Windows-based computers attached to the Internet remain vulnerable to infection because they have not been updated with the patch, despite the fact that it was made available in October. The firm’s estimate is based on a survey of nine million Internet addresses.
Security researchers said the success of Conficker was due in part to lax security practices by both companies and individuals, who frequently do not immediately install updates.
Comment: Corporate Network security is probably completely on top of this. If you have a Windows PC ... make sure all patches are in place and that you have antivirus software (current) in place.
JP, or anyone else, what would you recommend as a good anti-virus software? I've noticed that a lot of computers seem to come installed with McAfee (or however it's spelled. I've used that and it seems good, although, like many of the programs, they make you pay to get the FULL service. But for what I need it for I've always been able to get by with the free versions. Another big one is AVG. Avast is also pretty popular. Between those three, what does anyone think is the best (of the free versions)? I've heard that you should only use one anti-virus software and that more is not better. If you use more than one they will fight against each other and slow down your computer. (at least this is what I've heard)
ReplyDeleteHere is a solution. Wipe your drive and install Ubuntu.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a good idea, but I don't understand how you can use your computer?? Since it seems like 99% of consumer programs are written for Windows operating systems, what good does it do if you have a good OS that is free from malicious stuff, yet you can't buy any programs for it?
ReplyDeleteDaniel, I'd call that a "workaround" rather than a solution.
ReplyDeleteAnon, I'd agree with only using one anti-virus app. Either AVG and Avast are what I'd choose for home use. Also make sure you get some good spyware software - that's one it's ok to have more than one of. Spybot Search and Destroy is among the best there, and free. "Hijack This" is also something my technicians have used.
anon. My post was meant for the article. I had another post I had written yesterday in regards to your questions, but either JP hasn't approved it yet, or I forgot to save it. Woops!
ReplyDeleteCorrect, wiping your drive and installing *nix may not be the solution to your problem, but it is an option.
I had said in my post that didn't get saved or JP rejected :( I would recommend Symantec. My Dad uses AVG, and from I have seen on his machine, it tends to slow it down quite a bit. But for others it may work well.
Word of warning about hijack this. You can seriously mess your machine up if you do not know what you are doing. (trust me, I have done it) If you are unsure when using it, make sure you post the log to their forum and have someone more knowledgeable tell you what to remove. But it probably is one of the single most powerful virus/adware programs out there. You cannot use it alone, but many times you need it for the others to completely remove junk.
Hello, thanks for the info, everyone. This is Mr. Anonymous again. What's the difference between anti-virus programs and anti-adware programs? They aren't the same thing?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I've heard the best one is Ad-Aware by Lavasoft.
Re: "Hello, thanks for the info, everyone. This is Mr. Anonymous again. What's the difference between anti-virus programs and anti-adware programs? They aren't the same thing?
ReplyDelete"
I think that the Antivirus suites have multiple functions (adware plus antivirus + antiphishing, etc).
We use Symantic (Nortons) at work. I've heard good things about McAfee
Many anti-virus suites, like JP said, have multiple functions. I have never really used them for that purpose, so I am unsure how well they work.
ReplyDeleteIf you just want adware software I would stick with ad-aware.
Here's my two cents:
ReplyDeleteHaving worked for over 10 years in some capacity of managing mid-size IT departments, I enjoy Norton products for corporate networks. Not because it does a much better job than McAfee or other free products, but because they make management of virus definitions for company-wide PCs very easy. I have no doubt other virus programs will do just as well at catching and cleaning viruses.
I recently was helping a friend with some problems they were having getting Norton 360 installed and updated on their personal laptop. From what I could tell (and this matched opinions I've heard elsewhere), Symantec/Norton products for personal computers are bloated pieces of software that often result in slower performance. This was certainly the case with my friend's laptop. It was supposed to do it all - catch viruses in email, adware, spyware, etc. etc, but wow did that "protection" ever come at a price. He suffered a hit on his pocketbook and in the performance of his PC.
I'd far rather have multiple pieces of smaller, more efficient software doing single tasks. Right now I only have a laptop owned by the organization I work for, so it has Symantec Corporate anti-virus software. But if I had a personal PC, I'd probably have AVG or Avast for viruses, then Lavasoft Ad-aware, and Spybot Search and Destroy for spyware/adware. Between those three, you should be pretty well protected without installing all sorts of unecessary programs.