Not all malware spreads via email or the web.
The Conficker worm43,
for instance, uses Internet and network protocols to spread, alongside infecting USB sticks — but does not infect email or web systems.
While Conficker, which exploited a Microsoft security vulnerability and first appeared in late 2008, truly made its presence known during the first few months of 2009, media hysteria leading up to April 1, 2009 (when it was scheduled to change the way it looked for new instructions) helped push Conficker into notoriety.
Although it is clear that many firms and organizations struggled to protect themselves adequately from attack49, it is debatable whether the hyperbole regarding the worm helped improve the general state of computer security or was mistakenly seen as the computer security industry "crying wolf."
Conficker – A worm gains notoriety
"Will your PC be jacked on April first,44"
"The Conficker Worm: April Fool’s Joke or Unthinkable Disaster?45" and "PC security forces face April 1 showdown with Conficker worm46" are just some of the headlines that helped Confickermania gain momentum before the alleged significant date of April Fool’s Day.
Ironically, by and large, the computer security industry was not responsible for the hysteria regarding Conficker and April 1. Instead, it appears that the story was largely brewed up by elements of the media, despite many security vendors announcing that users were unlikely to notice anything different on April Fool’s Day.
Sure enough, April 1 2009 saw no unusual activity by Conficker and many were left wondering who had started the buzz 47— and perhaps more importantly, how to protect themselves from future iterations48.
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