April 1 may unleash Conficker worm on computers

Your friends may try to play jokes on you Wednesday, but computer companies are on the look-out for any signs of a virus set to strike on April 1.

The Conflicker worm was first discovered on in October 2008, with its latest version (the Conflicker C) found in early March. The worm may be on 5 million to 10 million computers already. Don Debolt, the director of threat research for CA (an IT and software company), tells CNN that the computers already infected may not have many symptoms yet, but a master computer could take control of them on Wednesday. The problem is that no one really knows what could happen next.

It's possible the program could try to record your keystrokes while logging your passwords for email and bank accounts. Another possibility is that it could delete files, or use the computer to crash websites.

Debolt says it may likely try to get the computer user to buy fake software or spend money on phony products.

A group of anti-worm researchers have banded together and are calling themselves the Conflicker Cabal. The team is looking for clues to who wrote the program. "We love catching bad guys," says computer expert Alvin Estevez. "We're like former hackers who like to catch other hackers. To us, we get almost a feather in our cap to be able to knock out that worm."

Microsoft Corp. said on February 12 that it would offer $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for releasing the Conflicker worm. The company teamed up with computer security researchers to try and disable domains targeted by the worm.

Microsoft says users who haven't gotten its latest Windows update should go to http://safety.live.com if they're worried they are infected. If you have an antivirus software program installed on your computer, you should check to see that you have the latest update, which could have been disabled by the Conflicker worm.

If you do not have an antivirus program installed on your computer, there are freeware options out there to help you stay protected. One program recommended by Kim Komando, who hosts a weekly radio talk show on computers, is AVG AntiVirus. The program is also the most popular download on Cnet.com.

Some companies are offering a free scan of your computer prior to Wednesday. In Davenport, Precision Computers says it will offer free screenings for the worm Tuesday, March 31. It is located at 583 E 53rd Street in Davenport.

Also, Staples says its stores will offer a free PC tune-up at it's retail locations nationwide. The tune-up includes a comprehensive system analysis, a detailed list of services performed, and suggestions for further improving performance. To find a listing of area Staples locations, click here