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• Conficker attack April 1, 2009

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  Nils Decker    Premium Member   Group moderator

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  Conficker attack April 1, 2009

  Jörg Dintenfelder already pointed at it in his article, but the world's largest botnet the Conficker is expected to attack on April 1, 2009.
  
  You may have heard of the term “botnet”, but might not be clear on what it really is or how it is created.
  
  === What is a botnet? ===
  In simple terms, a botnet is a network of computers that are all linked to each other and can perform certain program executions. The controlling part is done by someone from a remote location, that can use the network of computers to all simultaneously execute certain tasks.
  
  === How are botnets created? ===
  There are legitimate botnets (such as the SETI@Home project which is using many computers to analyze data in a search for extraterrestrial life) and there are illegal botnets. The focus in this newsletter is on the illegal botnets. Usually these botnets are formed by computer viruses that infect your computer disguised as a so called “Trojan horse”. Nothing seems to happen at first, however in the background your computer may log on to a hidden so-called Command & Control server. Whenever you are connected to the internet, your computer secretly asks the Command & Control server if there are any assignments to be executed. A spammer for example can buy himself access to a botnet from the botnet operator, and instruct all these computers to start sending out spam to millions of email recipients world-wide. You would not even notice spam is being sent from your computer!
  
  === Warning ===
  The largest illegal botnet is called “Conficker” with an estimated 9,000,000 bots connected to the net. On April 1, 2009, all currently infected bots will retrieve new instructions from the Command & Control servers. What instructions will be waiting there, nobody currently knows. It is very well possible that a massive new spam wave will start on this date.
  
  === How to protect yourself? ===
  All Windows users are urgently requested to patch Windows through the entire Windows Update process and make sure that the latest updates of their anti-virus programs are installed. This will safely make sure that your computer is not infected.
  This post was modified on 31 Mar 2009 at 09:47 am.
  • 31 Mar 2009, 09:46 am
  Nils Decker wrote: > Jörg Dintenfelder already pointed at it in his article, but the > world's largest botnet the Conficker is expected to attack on April > 1, 2009. > > You may have heard of the term “botnet”, but might not be clear on > what it really is or how it is created. > > === What is a botnet? === > In simple terms, a botnet is a network of computers that are all > linked to each other and can perform certain program executions. The > controlling part is done by someone from a remote location, that can > use the network of computers to all simultaneously execute certain > tasks. > > === How are botnets created? === > There are legitimate botnets (such as the SETI@Home project which is > using many computers to analyze data in a search for extraterrestrial > life) and there are illegal botnets. The focus in this newsletter is > on the illegal botnets. Usually these botnets are formed by computer > viruses that infect your computer disguised as a so called “Trojan > horse”. Nothing seems to happen at first, however in the background > your computer may log on to a hidden so-called Command & Control > server. Whenever you are connected to the internet, your computer > secretly asks the Command & Control server if there are any > assignments to be executed. A spammer for example can buy himself > access to a botnet from the botnet operator, and instruct all these > computers to start sending out spam to millions of email recipients > world-wide. You would not even notice spam is being sent from your > computer! > > === Warning === > The largest illegal botnet is called “Conficker” with an estimated > 9,000,000 bots connected to the net. On April 1, 2009, all currently > infected bots will retrieve new instructions from the Command & > Control servers. What instructions will be waiting there, nobody > currently knows. It is very well possible that a massive new spam > wave will start on this date. > > === How to protect yourself? === > All Windows users are urgently requested to patch Windows through the > entire Windows Update process and make sure that the latest updates > of their anti-virus programs are installed. This will safely make > sure that your computer is not infected.