The Conficker Virus Lives
April 14th, 2009

I have been reading up on this Conficker Virus that was suppose to cause havoc April 1st. on the world computers running Microsoft Windows. Well, April 1st came and went and not a whole lot of fireworks were experienced. However, there has been reports of strange things happening since then. Reports are coming in identifying SpywareProtect2009 as being another of the specific scareware tactics being used after Conficker's latest update. The victim receives a warning and is prompted to purchase the removal tool @$49.99, then the download streams in from the Ukraine. Do not under any circumstances follow instructions from one of these prompts.

How to test your computer to see if you have the Conficker Virus:
It's simple, try to log on to several of the web sites of companies that publish virus protection. One of the jobs of Conficker is to prevent the infected computer from obtaining virus protection or updates via the web. Click on the links below and see if you can pull up these web sites:

1. McAfee-Antivirus Software

2. Symantec-Norton Antivirus Software

3. Avast! Virus Protection

To Remove the Conficker Virus:
If you receive anything but the respective home page of these companies, then maybe your computer has been infected. What you will need to do is to go to another computer connected to the Internet not infected by the virus and download Symantec's Removal Tool. (If you're infected, you can't get to the tool from that computer.) Then either email it to your computer or transport it by a thumb drive or CD/RW to the infected computer. Run the Removal Tool on the infected computer. However, there is no 100% guarantee that you got to it.

To Protect Yourself From Any Virus:

The first line of defense is to keep an up-to-date virus protection software continuously running on your computer. I personally use Avast! because the Home Version is Free and face it, I'm Cheap! After installing the software you will need to register. Then Avast! will email you the key that you enter into the program that unlocks the Trail Version and then once every year you will need to re-register again. You get world class protection for no money out of pocket.

Another way to protect your computer is never open an email that has been Forwarded to you. You can recognize those real quick because there is the FW or FWD in the subject line. If you receive an email that has been Forwarded to you, DON'T click on the link in the email! Even if your Pastor FWD'd an email to you, DON'T OPEN IT! I received a Forwarded email from my Pastor and spent the rest of the day repairing my computer. He didn't send the virus but the virus sent itself from his computer automatically. That was about ten years ago before I learn the hard way to protect my computer from what was then called a "Worm" virus.

Never open (or send) an online greeting card. Those things are just poisonous!

Many people take steps to prevent being infected by a biological virus by washing their hands and avoiding sick people but are so naive about computer viruses. Protect your computer and you will receive many years of enjoyment from it.

Jerry Karlovich, 1971