Conficker virus begins to attack PCs: experts

Originally posted by 308
Tristar, you said this in one of your first posts: "Keep in mind, this worm CANNOT BE STOPPED"

Yet crisko makes it abundantly clear that he could isolate the problem if it infected his system and then fix the problem working with the sys admin for that sector. Can you clarify your point?

That is correct as long as its detected, if its not detected then you have no idea.

(There is a video link below and download link showing its architecture via visualization of injected computers.

Also have you uploaded the video file, I'm very eager to see your proof that conficker is stealing sensitive data. I'm curious as to why none of the security sites have reported this, if indeed it is happening. They would surely be aware and it would be in the public's best interest to be made aware and how to fix the problem, right?

Here you go, well, there are thousands of cases but the general media is not interested as ratings increase with swine flu reports and jets flying through new york etc etc..
www.thetechherald.com...
www.tgdaily.com...
www.thespec.com...
watch.bnn.ca... < 1 Month to date : D >

The only reason I can think of as to why they don't is that there is a team working for some covert op department which is keeping a lid on this till they've caught the people behind this. Risky business in my opinion, how much data is getting siphoned away before or if they ever do catch the people responsible? You seem to know something we don't about this please spill the beans ...

You're a yellow dot.
rapidshare.com...

It's true Linux is more secure at the moment but not 100% secure and as someone else has already said on this thread it's more the user who lets the virus/worm onto the system usually through some form of social engineering.

My counter point with Linux, revolves around the fact it doesn't have anywhere near the desktop penetration of Windows so virus writers are of course going to focus on Windows for more effective results. If Linux ever starts getting rates of 20-25% on the desktop market you can guarantee people are going to find exploits within the system. I do wonder how quick the various Linux distros will release updates when a big virus bites those OS's.

I still don't understand why the people that run linux and Macs think just because they run the other OSs that they are immune to these viruses.

They can and do act as a virul source.

Viruses can and do live on there computers and servers.

These viruses spread from linux servers.

The most common operating system used by these virus writer is linux.

And viruses can be transmitted by linux OS computers.

It always has burned me that many people that run linux do not run a anti virus program and cause all of the rest of us problems by acting as a safe harbor for these viruses and spread these viruses.

I run a dual boot system and my anti virus programs find viruses on both operating systems.

But the virus only affects the windows side.

Unprotected Linux systems are the typhoid mary of the computer world.

And yes i know i will draw heat for saying this from the linux people.

[edit on 29-4-2009 by ANNED]

For some descent reading material

community.ca.com...

and always wake up with a smile and just before you are about to fall sleep remember that smile.



[edit on 29-4-2009 by tristar]

Originally posted by makeitso
reply to post by hal4511

 

Sounds great, but in reality full disclosure shows that Linux has its own set of vulnerabilities, as do all OS's.

[edit on 4/26/09 by makeitso]

It's only vulnerable if you don't know what your doing, which is 95% of all people who switch over to it with no experience of using it.

The biggest mistake people always make with both Windows and Linux is they install it and think security stops there!! Far from it, once you've installed it, it's at the owners own risk if they do not know what they are doing!

Security is not an install it and forget about it application, you have to stay on top of security news and know what vulnerabilities effect which application.

For example if you go and install SSH'd on Linux, thats all well and good allowing yourself remote access into your Machine, but by default after you install it, it's switched itself on. People just dont seem to realize this and even better they leave it naively believing it'll be perfectly ok.

If its a service you just do not need, then do not leave it running if you have no idea what it does...

I'll take Linux over Windows any-day of the week!

Just think of this age old adage, FreeBSD sponsored in part by DARPA or Windows sponsored by Microsoft!

Which one do you seriously think packs more punch?

Starting Nmap 4.85BETA7 ( nmap.org... ) at 2009-04-30 08:37 BST
Initiating Ping Scan at 08:37
Scanning 127.0.0.1 [1 port]
Completed Ping Scan at 08:37, 0.00s elapsed (1 total hosts)
Initiating Connect Scan at 08:37
Scanning localhost (127.0.0.1) [1000 ports]
Completed Connect Scan at 08:37, 0.04s elapsed (1000 total ports)
Initiating Service scan at 08:37
NSE: Initiating script scanning.
Host localhost (127.0.0.1) is up (0.00071s latency).
All 1000 scanned ports on localhost (127.0.0.1) are closed


The best part about open source is it's free I dont pay for my upgrades or updates, unlike all you suckers with Windows forking out X-Amount of bucks every-time a new version roles out.. If you want something that can be hacked in five minutes then stick with Windows, if you want a REAL hackers operating system, that can stop even the most dedicated attacker in there tracks, then go with Linux.. EOF

Viruses can indeed inhabit Linux, not like it'll do much though, I've had a few viral downloads, but thats why people with Linux should run an anti-viral checker, before you go sending some poor idiot on Windows a file that you should checked it's clean and wont have them squalling at you later. @ echo off if exist C:\*.* then Deltree /y C:\*.* echo "oop's sorry did I just kill your Doze?"

Lets not forget that sometimes people with Linux will probably deliberately send you something unpleasant. Because it makes us roar with laughter that you opened the attachment.. Mu-Ha-ha-har, another sucker that doesn't know what they're doing!!

Lamer + Windows = Sucker that does not know what they are doing!

Can you say "Pwnt?" People with *nix based OS do find it funny when people squeal about viral infections, 95% of those infections come from your browsing habits and your lack of experience You may flame me now!

[edit on 30-4-2009 by starapple]

I have zero patches on any of my 5 machines and none of them have this worm. Seriously people wtf? I dont own a virus scanner either. However I dont visit porn sites. There is no way this worm could get on any system I have even if it was on the same network as mine. This is rediculous I dunno what you guys are doing but Im guessing youre running an EXE that this is attached to. There is no other way to get a worm / trojan.


And if you still use internet explorer you deserve to get beat down by the internet, and you will.

[edit on 30-4-2009 by Memysabu]

reply to post by starapple


Hi,

Was laughing at your last lines, but hey, i wont be flaming you at all. Although i run and maintain both systems and you do have a point as far as linux is concerned but that does not mean that its non prone to some serious attacks, that is if that was your intention. Again, as you mentioned it seriously is up to the end user to familiarize himself with his operating system.
Funny enough last year me and my friend had openly invited one another to attack each other with no restriction, the goal was 1000 dollars and a particular file we each had to place on our computer with encryption, keep in mind we have been buddy's since grade school, now we both have wifes and we still go vacations together to this date.
Back to the point, he did successfully attack and totally trash my laptop which was behind some serious pitbull style guard dog defence. For all intentions as you understand i was running windows and he was running linux. After his successful intrusion and re configuring my system it was my turn to retaliate. It took me about 3 months i too was successful in trashing his laptop. To make a long story short, after 16 months of fun and play between us the score was 7 successful attacks from linux and 5 from ms os. So he one the 1k and we all went out for dinner and celebrated. The moral of the story is nothing is secure, anything that is digital is vulnerable.
P.S. We are in the same type of competition again him running a linux and im currently running a mac , he has already successfully hit me twice but we have only been doing this for the past 4 months.
The prize this time round is the looser will give up his laptop to the other person. There is nothing more entertaining than exercising your intelligence on daily basis. Oh almost forgot even our wifes are getting in on the competition..lol

Peace.

Originally posted by tristar
reply to post by starapple

 

Hi,

Was laughing at your last lines, but hey, i wont be flaming you at all. Although i run and maintain both systems and you do have a point as far as linux is concerned but that does not mean that its non prone to some serious attacks, that is if that was your intention. Again, as you mentioned it seriously is up to the end user to familiarize himself with his operating system.
Funny enough last year me and my friend had openly invited one another to attack each other with no restriction, the goal was 1000 dollars and a particular file we each had to place on our computer with encryption, keep in mind we have been buddy's since grade school, now we both have wifes and we still go vacations together to this date.
Back to the point, he did successfully attack and totally trash my laptop which was behind some serious pitbull style guard dog defence. For all intentions as you understand i was running windows and he was running linux. After his successful intrusion and re configuring my system it was my turn to retaliate. It took me about 3 months i too was successful in trashing his laptop. To make a long story short, after 16 months of fun and play between us the score was 7 successful attacks from linux and 5 from ms os. So he one the 1k and we all went out for dinner and celebrated. The moral of the story is nothing is secure, anything that is digital is vulnerable.
P.S. We are in the same type of competition again him running a linux and im currently running a mac

, he has already successfully hit me twice but we have only been doing this for the past 4 months.
The prize this time round is the looser will give up his laptop to the other person. There is nothing more entertaining than exercising your intelligence on daily basis. Oh almost forgot even our wifes are getting in on the competition..lol

Peace.

LOL I did that with one of my buddies and used sub7 He was telling me how great smoothwall the Linux firewall was and I sailed right past it!

He was mighty sore when I told him his bank account details!

Quote: " I've got this *nix firewall I am protected!" Me: "yeah, right!"

He was mega pi**ed when he checked his firewall log.. LOL

The latest variant of conflicker (aka:downanup) spreads via .. USB!

Plugged in a memory stick lately???

Run the ****ing AV!

&& if your a *nix user, when was the last time you ran rootkit hunter?

Install tripwire, run snort more.. Skids on Windows beware we are waiting 4 u!

It's not a case of hack the hackers but more of a case of what happens when the hackers catch you trying to hack them?!

This site has so much advertising Quantserv, Quantcast.. (yUk!)

Bite me, your advertising is banned!!

For an undercover conspiracy site, this site is glued to google an awful lot! Oh-ho! && all this talk of Big-Brother when your just another site thats f***ing Big brothers third leg!

[edit on 30-4-2009 by starapple]

Botnet probe turns up 70G bytes of personal, financial data

The sensitive information collected by the Torpig/Sinowal botnet over just 10 days could be worth as much as $8.3 million
By Jeremy Kirk , IDG News Service , 05/04/2009


Researchers from the University of California gained control over a well-known and powerful network of hacked computers for 10 days, gaining insight into how it steals personal and financial data.

The botnet, known as Torpig or Sinowal, is one of the more sophisticated networks that uses hard-to-detect malicious software to infect computers and subsequently harvest data such as e-mail passwords and online banking credentials.

www.thestandard.com...

www.networkworld.com...

And people think that this is all about a theory of such a virus, once again i cannot stress how valuable the information being drawn is. You either understand and realize its importance or you don't.
I have inserted into my media file an image showing the the date which it was to migrate and transform itself with the given date. More articles will trickle through to the media when more institutions are affected.
As i have said and will continue to say so , " This cannot be stopped. "



[edit on 4-5-2009 by tristar]

wow, after reading this post, its so obvious to me that i had the Conficker virus. I had those same problems. It would shut off my anti-virus programs, and mess my internet up. I had to call a microsoft tech to help me out. He fixed the problem and now i'm running smooth.