Conficker worm definition

The Conficker worm is a computer worm that was first discovered in November 2008. It is a worm that targets and attacks Microsoft Windows operating systems, and it managed to infect millions of computers in the span of only a few months.

The Conficker worm spread on the internet by hackers exploiting a vulnerability in-network service on the Windows operating systems that were available at that time, including Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta systems.

The Conficker worm managed to get access to personal computers and servers and began a dictionary attack in order to bypass administrator passwords and create a botnet.

The flaw that the Conficker worm exploited has since been patched by Microsoft, which prevented the worm from spreading further. And since the Conficker worm is a type of malware, it can now be avoided with malware removal tools or anti-malware software.

See also: Conficker, computer worm

Common signs of a Conficker worm infection

• Services like automatic updates, Windows Defender, Error Reporting Servers, and Background Intelligent Transfer Services (BITS) are being disabled automatically.
• Networks get congested suddenly.
• Account lockout policies are being triggered and activated.
• Domains respond slowly to domain client requests.
• Security-related sites and software can’t be accessed.
• Security tools like antivirus and anti-malware software are disabled and can’t be enabled again.

Further reading