Computer worm is no April Fool's joke

Personal computers and laptops already infected with Conficker could automatically be linked to the servers operated by the hackers

By McNelly Torres |South Florida Sun-sentinel

12:12 PM EDT, March 31, 2009

Cyber security experts are warning that a new variation of Conficker, a fast-spreading computer worm also known as Downadup, could attack millions of computers on Wednesday -- April Fool's Day.

Personal computers and laptops already infected with Conficker could automatically be linked to the servers operated by the hackers.

Esteban O. Farao, a consultant with Enterprise Risk Management, a Miami security consulting company, said the worm is not destroying files or stealing data, but it has the capability to do so.

"The main concern about this worm is that it is capable of downloading additional code from the hacker's Web site or through a peer-to-peer connection," Farao said. "Consequently it can bring more functionalities or receive instructions."