SysAdmin Documents Encounter With Conficker

By Doug Caverly
Staff Writer
Article Date: 2010-06-24

Monty Python fans may remember a certain sketch in which characters promise to show an audience how to cure all diseases. Then the advice doesn't go much beyond "become a great doctor, cure something, and make sure your colleagues do their jobs right." Too many security articles follow this route, as well, but a new one provides a more useful look at how an IT administrator was hit by (and overcame) a virus.

Of course, for the sake of not stealing his work, we won't reprint all of Trevor Pott's story here. But the main idea is that Conficker visited his workplace, and while he managed to banish it from many computers, some that had been turned off (and were integrated into other pieces of equipment to boot) before he got to them were missed.

So Pott wrote, "Let that be a lesson to you all: computers are integrated into everything these days. Think really, really hard about what's on your network before declaring it bug-free."

As for some additional tips, Pott recommended taking advantage of Windows Server Update Services and the malwaredomains.com blocklist. He noted, too, "These older systems should also have had a firewall installed. Windows 2000 doesn't ship with one of its own, but small lightweight firewalls are cheap and don't consume much in the way of resources - far less than installing an anti-malware scanner."

Hopefully these recommendations that go a bit beyond what's taught in textbooks will prove useful. Not every scenario is an ideal one that can be anticipated and dealt with in a cut-and-dry way, after all.

At any rate, perhaps this piece will at least provide you with an excuse to chat about Monty Python with your coworkers.

About the Author:
Doug is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest eBusiness news.