News Anyone else watch 60Minutes about the Conficker Worm?

Kerberos · 03-30-2009, 08:18 AM

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/...n4897053.shtml

Don't know about everyone else but to ME this sounds like a HUGE problem waiting to happen.

Otter · 03-30-2009, 08:34 AM

I didn't see the 60 Minutes segment but I've read quiet a bit on the worm on how it's evolving. It's both amazing and scary how the writers of this have basically used modern techniques used by Microsoft and every other software developer to allow the code to continue to evolve.

This wasn't written by some 17 year old kid in his basement. These people knew what they were doing x10. Going by the code April 1st is the next day it's due to patch/update itself.

I work as wireless network admin and wear another hat as a system admin for mostly UNIX based apps so there's not much I can do except join the interns during down time to find the non-automated PCs and check for full updates.

Should be interesting. Microsoft has a bounty out for the writers which should motivate some people to help track them them down.

On April 1st, 2009 - Skynet *cough*, excuse me, Conficker became self-aware...

Mr. Krab · 03-30-2009, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otter

On April 1st, 2009 - Skynet *cough*, excuse me, Conficker became self-aware...

That's not funny. Ok, so it's a little bit funny, but also pretty scary.

**007** · 03-30-2009, 08:41 AM

I watched that too. I have to admit, it does concern me.

**Gonzo** · 03-30-2009, 08:42 AM

This is one of the biggest reasons I never do any banking online.

Kerberos · 03-30-2009, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gonzo

This is one of the biggest reasons I never do any banking online.

The wife closed accounts on Amazon and other places she does ordering from online and from now on we will just fill things out as we need to.

I set both of our computers to delete form data as that is what they are looking for IIRC?

Huge pain in the ass but it beats the alternative.

htismaqe · 03-30-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerberos

The wife closed accounts on Amazon and other places she does ordering from online and from now on we will just fill things out as we need to.

I set both of our computers to delete form data as that is what they are looking for IIRC?

Huge pain in the ass but it beats the alternative.

Just get LifeLock or something similar.

Closing accounts is awfully extreme.

Mr. Plow · 03-30-2009, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Closing accounts is awfully extreme.

That is what I thought.

Kerberos · 03-30-2009, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Just get LifeLock or something similar.

Closing accounts is awfully extreme.

EXTREME? Yes

But didn't they say that this thing was targeting mostly corporations and big business?

I don't need my information and credit cards out there for these ****ers to get a hold of because someone at a place I order from online underestimates things.

IMO better safe than sorry.

htismaqe · 03-30-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerberos

EXTREME? Yes

But didn't they say that this thing was targeting mostly corporations and big business?

I don't need my information and credit cards out there for these ****ers to get a hold of because someone at a place I order from online underestimates things.

IMO better safe than sorry.

The thing is, if you USE a credit card online you can be potentially compromised at the time of the transaction. Having accounts sitting out there on Amazon, etc. doesn't create that much more exposure.

Fish · 03-30-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerberos

EXTREME? Yes

But didn't they say that this thing was targeting mostly corporations and big business?

I don't need my information and credit cards out there for these ****ers to get a hold of because someone at a place I order from online underestimates things.

IMO better safe than sorry.

I know they said this is targeting corporations and businesses, but in no way should that cause you not to trust corporations and businesses you normally deal with. That simply means that Joe Blow from Insignificant Corp. Inc. down the street is probably typing on a machine that isn't updated and patched as consistently as most users' home machines.

Saying that worms "target" certain machines is poor wording. Worms will find machines with poor security infrastructures. The worms don't care, they'll install themselves on any machine it can. Corporations and big businesses just happen to fit that description in most cases. But the corporations and businesses they're talking about aren't the ones you're conducting secure online transactions with. I wouldn't worry about a corporation you might be ordering from simply because they are a corporation. Any worthy business that conducts routine online transactions is going to be patched already.

**Saulbadguy** · 03-30-2009, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gonzo

This is one of the biggest reasons I never do any banking online.

**BigMeatballDave** · 03-30-2009, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gonzo

This is one of the biggest reasons I never do any banking online.

Chicken little?

**Buehler445** · 03-30-2009, 08:57 AM

My dad saw it and gave me the doom and gloom.

I do have a question for you guys though. (Please excuse the following, it came from my dad and he is pretty clueless with computers) but Dad said that the worm is used to look at what you are seeing on your screen (I don't know if that is it, but some sort of data being passed to the creator about your financial data). So then when you complete activities on your screen, they can "see" it and keep your info.

Well, my question is that whatever data they are getting has to be sent somewhere, right? Is there, then, a way to see where the data was sent? That would in turn point at least to a direction of where the culprit is? If it is that big of a deal, I'd anticipate somebody working on figuring out who it is.

all that info came from my dad, so it may be way off base.
Posted via Mobile Device

Demonpenz · 03-30-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buehler445

My dad saw it and gave me the doom and gloom.

I do have a question for you guys though. (Please excuse the following, it came from my dad and he is pretty clueless with computers) but Dad said that the worm is used to look at what you are seeing on your screen (I don't know if that is it, but some sort of data being passed to the creator about your financial data). So then when you complete activities on your screen, they can "see" it and keep your info.

Well, my question is that whatever data they are getting has to be sent somewhere, right? Is there, then, a way to see where the data was sent? That would in turn point at least to a direction of where the culprit is? If it is that big of a deal, I'd anticipate somebody working on figuring out who it is.

all that info came from my dad, so it may be way off base.
Posted via Mobile Device

The problem comes in when they have to unlock the encription which can take days. It is 199 over 200 encryption which is nearly impossible to unlock. That is why we are going to get Hugh Jackman with an earing with holly barry's boobies to fix it

03-30-2009, 08:18 AM	Topic Starter
Kerberos Chiefs Baby Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Henderson, NV Casino cash: $10000632	Anyone else watch 60Minutes about the Conficker Worm? http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/...n4897053.shtml Don't know about everyone else but to ME this sounds like a HUGE problem waiting to happen.
Posts: 5,638

03-30-2009, 08:41 AM	#4
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $12100126 VARSITY	I watched that too. I have to admit, it does concern me. __________________ My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.
Posts: 65,741

03-30-2009, 08:57 AM	#14
Buehler445 Supporter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Scott City KS Casino cash: $-1695266	My dad saw it and gave me the doom and gloom. I do have a question for you guys though. (Please excuse the following, it came from my dad and he is pretty clueless with computers) but Dad said that the worm is used to look at what you are seeing on your screen (I don't know if that is it, but some sort of data being passed to the creator about your financial data). So then when you complete activities on your screen, they can "see" it and keep your info. Well, my question is that whatever data they are getting has to be sent somewhere, right? Is there, then, a way to see where the data was sent? That would in turn point at least to a direction of where the culprit is? If it is that big of a deal, I'd anticipate somebody working on figuring out who it is. all that info came from my dad, so it may be way off base. Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 60,047