Conficker Starts Updating Variant C to Conficker E

Conficker C, an internet worm, has been known to start its update on April 1st, 2009 but delayed to everyone's dismay but it started Wednesday night, April 8. The download appears to be updating the C variant into the newly named Conficker E. The newer variant utilizes the Microsoft MS08-67 exploit that was abandoned by Conficker C.

The "E" version instructs itself to be removed/uninstalled on May 3 while directing itself to a new list of websites apparently awaiting further instruction. The worm utilizes P2P, Peer to Peer, to update and it may be several days to see the actual changes and propogation it will use.

There is some good news as the internet worm is decreasing in numbers from around 9 million in January to around 1 million Conficker infected machines worldwide currently in April '09. The U.S. Computer Emergency Response, CERT, has developed software to indentify the Conficker worm, according to Homeland Security, and the extent of damage/infiltration to systems. The tools are available for federal and state governments, organizations, critical infrastructure owners and commercial vendors.

ALL Computer User's Should Have These Tools Handy:

• >All Microsoft Operating Systems should be updated with the MS08-67 Patch HERE< to help keep the intrusive Conficker from entering and executing.
• W32.Downup Removal tool is available from Symantec.
• Advisory and link to the W32.Conficker removal tool from McAfee (McAfee removed page).