Free Ways to get Rid of Conficker

Conficker is a worm, one very sneaky and successful worm. That once it's in your computer it will go into self preservation mode. Meaning, it wants to live. So it will search out any place such as an external hard drive, usb flash drive to attach itself. And it's doing this because if Microsoft can figure out how to plug the security hole that allowed conficker to get into your system in the first place, it would die off once the new security patch is put into place. But as long as it's on an external hard drive where a security patch can not be placed it can lay in wait. What's conficker, or sometimes known as conflicker, waiting for? It's waiting for you to take your external hard drive to another computer where the security patch is not installed on. If conflicker can find such a computer (which it's pretty successfully doing right now) it will gain access to the internet and self update itself with new orders, as well as how to access new security holes. Then once you bring your external hard drive back to your original computer Conficker will again start to do it's thing.

What is Conficker's "thing"?

So far conflicker (conficker) hasn't caused any damage. But what it does do, is find your passwords. The worm can figure out almost any password you have. Why and How? Because it knows that most people do not use secure passwords. They use simple things like relatives names, birthdays, special moments, one word names, cars..etc. Another words SIMPLE. Conflicker just starts searching your computer, going through all your files, finding names, repeated words, interests and what not, and then applies it's finding to anything on your computer that's password secured. And it's VERY SUCCESSFUL at it. What's even crazier is that people use the same password over and over again in all areas from secure documents on their computer, to bank accounts, to ATM machines, etc. Once conflicker knows who you are, and can get your passwords out of your computer and send via the internet to the creator, than that creator most likely can start gaining access to most of your accounts. Scary isn't it?

No matter what you do, there will always be people who refuse to update their computer, or even those that have no idea how, so that will always give this worm the ability to grow and seek new instructions, orders, and self update itself. Here's something even more scary.

Conficker, or also sometimes referred to as Downadup, Kido or Conflicker, keeps finding ways to update itself, in doing so, it's finding ways to block Windows from installing the security patch. Even going so far as to make you think you installed it, but you really haven't. By far Conficker is one the most sneakiest worms ever created. So now what? If you have conficker and it's updated than most likely it's going to try and find a way to prevent the security patch from updating or even block certain virus protection programs from being installed, even going as far as blocking you from accessing certain sites on the internet that could effect the life of Conficker. It's going to come down to first taking steps to manually get rid of it, than stopping it's accesses, then prevent it from happening again.

Free Ways to Get Rid of Conflicker

First
Disable AutoRun. Autorun allows your usb to automatically show up, or automatically start programs on any
external hard drive. So first do this.

• Go to your Start Menu and Select Run
• Then type gpedit.msc
• A group policy window will show up
  -go to computer configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System.
• Under System double click the "Turn Off AutoPlay". It will be in the right hand panel.
• Then, select "Enable" and choose "All Drives" from the drop down menu.

Second
Update your computer. Make Sure that your version of Windows has all the latest security patches. Don't worry about whether or not conficker may make it appear that you've updated when you really haven't. There's a good chance that Microsoft has kept up and is on constant watch for this worm. So update.

Third
After you updated and restarted your computer now it's time to remove the conficker virus or at least make sure you don't have it. Your best bet isn't a virus protection software yet. First you need a standalone free program called Sophos Conficker Cleanup Tool. You can download it by clicking here. Once you've downloaded the program, and run it, it will effectively get rid of the conficker worm.

Fourth
The only real way to make sure this doesn't happen again to you, or to prevent you from being part of the vicious cycle of conflicker (conficker) being able to update itself, is to have REAL TIME VIRUS / SPYWARE BLOCKING PROTECTION. Yes, I wrote that all in capitals to stress my point. It's not enough to have virus protection or spyware blockers on your computer that wait around for updates then do a scheduled search on your computer for spyware or viruses. You need a program that is constantly on guard, ready to attack anything that attempts to overpower or attack your computer, and you need that program to quarantine that item RIGHT NOW. There are lots of spyware blockers and anti virus programs out there. The best usually cost about 30 dollars, but you can get free ones as well. The free ones are basic at best, but can still offer real time protection. I would start with PC TOOLS. They are the most popular for a reason. Next would be Zone Alarm. Incredible real time protection as well as an assortment of other great programs such as Zone Alarm's Force Field will NEVER leave you vulnerable again.

Lastly - PASSWORDS.
I know it's nice and easy to remember your dog fluffy's name and use it for a password, but it's definitely not a smart thing to do especially since that's the first word your next door neighbor is going to try if he/she wants access to your computer or a file. Here are some great tips on Passwords.

We all have them, and sometimes we have literally hundreds of them. How can we remember them all? First use a program to store your passwords that uses the latest encryption methods. Any password protection program worth it's salt will be using state of the art encryption security in the program that would take even the most advanced computers on our planets 100's of years to decrypt. These programs when using them also prevent the use of any spyware from seeing what you are doing like keyboard recording (keyloggers), and computer snap shots. So it's very safe to open them and record your password in them. A simple search in Google or Bing for password managers will give you lots of free and well as paid programs for this.

Now once you have your password manager, now it's time for you to get a password generator. These generators are usually free and do just want they say. They create impenetrable passwords that your neighbor, sneaky employee, or and conflicker worm can figure out. Completely Random, long, multitudes of characters. Hard to remember, and could take 30 years to crack.

Once you start practicing safe password usage you will actually be among the few who actually won't be taken advantage of when something as dangerous as the conficker (conflicker) worm ever resurfaces.