Conficker.C worm may unleash PC madness April 1

Stay safe from the Conficker.C virus. Ensure you have the right PC malware removal tool to prevent network disruptions.

Written byPhil Plait
| 1 min read
Google NewsGoogle News Preferred Source

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

[Update (April 3, 2009): Apparently, not much happened on April 1 with this virus. Many of the commenters below said this virus was a hoax, or at least not a big deal, but after poking around the web I would disagree. At best, opinions appear to be mixed on it; some people are saying it's nothing, others are saying it could have been bad. The virus itself is real enough, and the links below have more info if you're curious.] This is not a joke: there is a worm getting spread on PCs called Conficker.C that will be activated on April 1 (no, this is not a joke) and may cause huge disruptions in the 'net. My brother, who is a computer techie, has more on his blog, and he notes you can download a free removal tool at EnigmaSoftware. Making sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date may not be enough, so if you use a PC be very careful with this! Don't screw around; go to the above link right now, grab the tool, and check for this malware. I ran it on the two PCs in our house and we're fine. Are you?

Meet the Author

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe