So it is April 2nd and the much talked about conflicker virus/bug has come and gone to no real avail here in Hobbs. So what can we learn from this? In today’s age technology is as pervasive as food and just like all through history there will continue to be ‘scary things that go bump in the night’ for as long as there is humans living on this earth. Don’t get me wrong. We need media and communication to warn us of potential threats on the horizon, but when that media reaches a frenzy that it becomes all-encompassing and distracts us from the work that needs to be done, sometimes the mere presence of the media hype is more expensive than reason for the scare.
So to all of those out there that may read this…here is my tip for how best to handle these sorts of scares.
1. If you use or employ a company/person to watch out for your networks, pc’s and general security, have faith that they are aware of these sorts of issues usually far ahead of time and it is their job to help prevent any damage from viruses, etc. Have faith in thier judgement and service…after all that is what you pay them for.
2. Don’t buy into the ‘end of the world’ hype. It is there to scare you and usually stems from someone trying to make money from it.
3. There is no system/software that has ever been designed that will overcome the power of people.
4. Be wary of anyone trying to sell you something to solve one problem, when hype’s like this one develop, use it to remind yourself of the GOOD investments you have already made to prevent damage and then reward YOURSELF for your foresight.
5. Stay positive and confident;; doom and gloom and actions taken because of it are usually expensive in time, money, and resources that could be used more productively.
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Update 12/15/09 – I had several requests for removal instructions, so here you go: Download Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool and all windows updates, then scan for the virus.
Also see here for manual removal info:
http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2008-112203-2408-99&tabid=3