Conficker Worm Removal Tool
How to Remove the Conficker Worm Virus - Information and Removal
The Conficker worm is a computer worm that can infect your computer and spread itself to other computers across a network automatically, without human interaction.
If your computer is up-to-date with the latest security updates and your Norton 360 software is also up-to-date, you probably don't have the Conficker worm.
If you have a computer that cannot access symantec.com, microsoft.com or the web sites of other security vendors your computer may be infected.
What does the Conficker worm do?
The Conficker worm has created secure infrastructure for cybercrime. The worm allows its creators to remotely install software on infected machines. What will that software do? We don't know. Most likely the worm will be used to create a botnet that will be rented out to criminals who want to send SPAM, steal IDs and direct users to online scams and phishing sites.
The Conficker worm mostly spreads across networks. If it finds a vulnerable computer, it turns off the automatic backup service, deletes previous restore points, disables many security services, blocks access to a number of security web sites and opens infected machines to receive additional programs from the malware's creator. The worm then tries to spread itself to other computers on the same network.
How does the Conficker worm infect a computer?
The Downadup worm tries to take advantage of a problem with Windows (a vulnerability) called MS08-067 to quietly install itself. Users who automatically receive updates from Microsoft are already protected from this. The worm also tries to spread by copying itself into shared folders on networks and by infecting USB devices such as memory sticks.
Who is at risk?
Users whose computers are not configured to receive patches and updates from Microsoft and who are not running an up to date antivirus product are most at risk. Users who do not have a genuine version of Windows from Microsoft are most at risk since pirated system usually cannot get Microsoft updates and patches.
Conficker Worm Removal Tool
If you know or just doubt that you have a computer infected by the Conficker worm, download the Conficker worm removal tool from one of those listed at SANS.org onto a "healthy" machine, save it onto a USB stick or burn it onto a CD, and run it on the infected computer:
The other way to stop the Conficker Worm is to stop domain blocking right on infected machine by:
- Click Start > Run.
- In the Run box, type the following: cmd
- Click OK.
- Type the following and then press Enter. cd..
- Repeat the previous step until you get to the root level, or C:\>. Note that if your root drive is not C, the letter will be different.
- At C:\> type the following: net stop dnscache
- Press Enter. This disables the domain blocking feature of Conficker and you should now be able to reach security Web sites including ours. You should now be able to download the Conficker removal tool from the web address above.
More about domain blocking and host file fix.
As already mentioned, the best way to stay ahead in this computer worm/virus game is to always have your OS patched with latest updates and to run security software like Norton 360.