Downadup

Security researchers are in the dark about what will happen next week when the newest variant of Conficker, 2009's biggest worm by a mile, begins trying to contact its controllers.

Computers infected with the Conficker worm are being updated with a new variant that sidesteps an industry effort to sever the link between the worm and its hacker controllers.

Don't get Patrik Runald wrong: the Downadup worm (also called Conficker) has been a big deal. It's just that F-Secure's chief security advisor doesn't want people overlooking the other 29,999 malware files his company sees every day, or ignoring the prospects of smart phone malware or even threats that exploit the TinyURLs made so popular through social network sites.

There have been big computer worm outbreaks before, but nothing quite like Conficker.

A highly disruptive Internet worm has claimed a new victim: the French navy.

The Downadup worm may have already created havoc with the estimated nine million PCs it's infected, but one security expert warns the worm is only dormant, perhaps to be unleashed at a later date with an even greater vengeance.

According to Computerworld's article "Researchers wait for Downadup worm's second act", this 'well-engineered' worm was written by hackers who know their stuff.

The computer worm responsible for the biggest attack in years has infected at least 1 out of every 16 PCs worldwide, a security company said Wednesday, and may have managed to compromise as many as nearly 1 in 3.