TAMPA, FL -- The "Conficker .C worm, also known as the Downup and the Downadup, began spreading from computer to computer last November. Today, computer I.T. experts say the longer it's around the more creative it gets."It now disables a lot of security software," says Andy Swenson, and information specialist with Tribridge of Tampa, a Microsoft partner. Swenson says this worm could have spread to as many as 9 million personal computers worldwide and has the potential to affect anyone who uses the internet on a Windows-based PC.
"It spreads through network shares. So, anyone in an office environment that has many PCs, that shares files, could be infected that way it also shares through USBs," Swenson says.
You can transfer the worm from memory sticks. It can even spread among computers in the same home.
"With this new version, called .C, we really don't know what the virus or worm is going to do at the next iteration on April 1st,” Swenson says.
People studying this worm believed it was programmed to take on yet another form on April 1st. That means the worm could have tried to jam up systems, crash computers, hack into and steal your personal information.
"Identity theft, where it tries to download what's called a key stroke logger, a piece of software that sits on your computer and every time you try to type something on your computer it logs that," Swenson says.
As of April 1, the worm had not caused any major problems, but experts told CNN that computer users are not in the clear.
They say that an attack is certain, but no one knows when it will occur.
Swenson says all PC users should take steps to protect themselves now. You should definitely make sure to update your spyware security software. You can also run free patches that will detect the worm and repair it for you in a matter of minutes.
Microsoft helped build a patch that people can download to detect the worm.
NOTE: This patch was created by Symantec, ABC Action News is not responsible for the content of this software.
