Warning: Don’t Google Conficker!

by Barbara Sowell @

Digital Journal

Symantec is warning Web users not to search for Conficker because there are a number of hoax websites that could infect your computer. Additionally, it is set to go off on April 1 by generating 50,000 URLS daily.

Microsoft is releasing emergency critical software today for users of Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

According to PC World:

Symantec is warning Web users that searching for information on computer viruses such as Conficker could put them at risk of unintentionally downloading the virus on to their PC. . .

According to the security vendor, searching for 'conficker' in a number of the Web's most popular search engines brings up a number of hoax Websites that actually host the virus and infect any users that navigate to the site.

Symantec warns Web users the best course of action is to use software that will block Web pages such as these from being visited. . .

A third version of the virus was also discovered this month and security researchers believe it may cause problems on April Fools Day.

According to PC Advisor:

The update will be released at 10am US Pacific Time (6pm tonight for UK users), according to Microsoft spokesman Christopher Budd, in a blog posting published late last night.

 
The flaw is considered to be a less serious risk for users of the Windows Vista and Server 2008 operating systems, Microsoft said in an advisory on the issue.

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