April 13, 2009
Conficker Now Instructed To Steal
Identity Theft A Concern For Those With Infected Computers
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Play CBS Video Video Conficker Wakes Up The conficker worm that affected computers around the world is morphing and spreading, and is now becoming an identity theft issue. Harry Smith speaks with Natali Del Conte from CNET.
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Video Conficker Virus Stealing Passwords The dreaded Conficker virus has begun to steal computer passwords and turn infected computers into hosts. CBS News Technology Contributor Natali Del Conte discusses what you can do to keep your computer from being infected.
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(AP/CBS/IStockphoto)
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Section Tech News All about the digital world, from computers and gadgets to industry news and hot tech trends.
CNET-TV Senior Editor Natali Del Conte updated Early Show viewers Monday on what Conficker is doing and how it could be affecting your computer.
Del Conte told co-anchor Harry Smith Conficker is now parading as an anti-virus program called Spyware Protect 2009. The worm takes users to a fake secuirty Web site, asks them to pay $50 for a spyware program that actually is the Conficker worm, then keeps your credit card information, to boot. "It infects your computer," she told Smith. "And it keeps that $50."
Conficker can pop up on your computer in various ways, Del Conte added, whether as a pop-up that advertises a way to prevent the worm, or in your e-mail or Facebook account. She advises that, to be safe, you should never click on anything you're not familiar with.
Del Conte stressed that now is the time to be extra-careful: "We think it's going to self-destruct on May 3. So, whatever it's doing, it's doing right now. So now is the time to be diligent."
One way to tell your computer may be infected is if you can't go to any security Web sites, such as Trend Micro, Symantec or McAfee. You should also be concerned if you try to power down your computer and you can't. "That may mean someone else is driving," Del Conte said. "That's a bad sign."
If you were taken in by the fake security ad and used a credit card to pay that $50, she advises changing all your passwords immediately and doing so from a secure computer. Then, call your banks and have them change those passwords, and get a new credit card.
Finally, Del Conte noted other resources on the Internet to help you figure out if your computer is infected. You could go to Google.com and search for "Conficker eye chart;" you'll find a test that can diagnose your computer for you. "If you can see all the graphics, you don't have it," she said. "If you can't see some of them, that's a red flag."
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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See all 29 CommentsPosted by dbstevens at 1:32 PM
Very good point.
You'd think a lawyer would file a class action lawsuit and collect.
b2busa@usa-ham.com
Here's my question. If I were to switch to a Linux OS, would I still be able to run all my applications designed for Windows? Adobe CS (OK, that's basically a port from Mac), Avid, CorelDraw, not to mention Office and about 10 graphics-intensive games I like to unwind with?
Virus software takes on the personality of the people who wrote it, if a virus is stealing you can bet a Republican wrote it! LOL
All 'nix boxes can indeed be jacked, that has been a script kiddie sandbox for years if not decades. Don't forget that the internet DNS are 'nix based. It is not the infection of your box that is a concern, it is the hijacking of information that passes around the net that is the concern. Your info doesn't have to be stolen from your computer, it can be jacked from any other computer that has it, like for example your bank.
For you Mac heads, your time is also coming, its just that your market share is too small to be of concern, but don't forget, you are now 'nix boxes, as leopard is 'nix-based.
Sure, theoretically Linux operating systems could be targeted too, but in reality they never are. I've been using Linux for over a decade (both at home and in a corporate environment) and I have never actually seen a native Linux virus, trojan or worm in all that time. Never once!
In the past Linux wasn't always as easy for computer neophytes to use as Windows was, but that has changed dramatically in just the past few years. Newer distributions like Ubuntu are now every bit as "user friendly" as Windows is. And not only is Ubuntu immune to threats like Conficker, but it's a totally free operating system as well, and so is all the software that runs on it. That alone has saved me tens of thousands of dollars per year in associated costs.
Hackers like to target Windows for three main reasons: the first reason is that Microsoft has consistently proven itself to be an incredibly vicious and dishonest corporation that has tried every nasty trick in the book, over the years, to create a total monopoly for itself by ruthlessly destroying all competition, usually by resorting to highly illegal methods - and that's been verified time and again in the court systems around the globe, where Microsoft has repeatedly been found guilty of having used underhanded and illegal tactics to destroy competitors.
The second reason is that Windows is simply a very poorly designed operating system that lacks truly effective security mechanisms.
Lastly, Windows users are, in general, invariably among the least skilled of all computer users, making them very, very easy prey.
Personally, I would not trade my Ubuntu for all the money in the world, simply because it's such a vastly superior operating system - but I also love it because I sleep a lot better at night knowing that I don't have to worry about threats like Conficker.
Ditch Windows and try Ubuntu - chances are you won't regret it.
Posted by J_G_H
Microsoft is a target because it's software is crap and the company is a convicted criminal enterprise with a lengthy history of using coercive & deceitful practices in marketing its products. The M$ business model is to achieve customer "lock in" on its products and then milk those customers for fees on an annual basis for maintaining access to the customer's own data.
All versions of windows I have ever had occasion to use, all up to and including XP & Vista, crash regularly. Microsoft systems are designed to maximize revenues for the company. They are not designed to meet customer requirements or the principles of reliability engineering.
I have several computing systems. All run some version of Linux. They do NOT crash. :-)
Thanks to u.s. political preoccupation with benefiting the "home grown" monopolist M$, Asian & other software developers are likely to completely eclipse developing u.s. computing capabilities in the coming decades. They will do so on Linux platforms which have the distinct advantage of being "open source". Because of the GPL & similar FOSS licenses, many of those advances will be available to those companies & individuals who are not structurally "locked in" to the M$ corporate business model.
Sucka's.
Posted by caligula1--2008 at 9:20 AM : Apr 13, 2009
You are arguing that buying a Microsoft OS once every 3-4 years for a few hundred bucks each is definately more cost-efficient than buying a $2500+ mac that would need to be thrown out every 5-6 years b/c of obsolecence.
Idiot.
As opposed to the countless other viruses/worms that don't get as much publicity but can do the exact same thing?
Once again, CBS proves it's ineptitude at news reporting as opposed to news-making by trying to salvage a two-week old dead topic.
Posted by longtree-2009
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No, the difference between say, Window and say Firefox is that happens when an exploit is found. Mozilla Firefox is patched within days to a week. Microsoft, its more like months, if ever. The poor security model is to blame, Windows thinks its possible to have security by obscurity, or hiding the code. I much prefer security by FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications like Firefox. Where the code is given to everyone, its looked at and a million eyes test it.
An example
Windows its like taking the code and putting in in an apartment in America and not giving anyone the address except to 5 people. They hope no one finds a flaw because only a handful of people (if we are lucky) are allowed to work on it along with other things.
Firefox, the code is published in USA today and everyone tries to find the flaw. Those found are fixed.
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