Recent media reports have raised questions about the severity of a computer virus referred to as the Conficker worm (also known as Downadup). It is unclear as to exactly what kind of problems this virus might create but April 1 has been given as the date when this worm might become active. The worm has existed in a couple of forms for a number of months and exploits a vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows operating system. Microsoft did release a patch in October 2008 to correct this vulnerability. Actions this virus might attempt include installing rogue software, propagating itself to other computers, and generating large amounts of traffic in an attempt to crash a network or web site, and attempting to obtain sensitive data such as financial information from a computer. All indications are that this worm only infects computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system. Mac OS, Linux, and other operating systems should not be in danger of infection.
Steps have been taken to protect Olivet's network from this worm. However, it is still important for the university community to remain diligent in protecting both university-owned and personal computing devices from threats such as this. Below is a description of how each audience on campus can help ensure the security of Olivet's network.
Faculty/Staff Workstations
All faculty and staff workstations should be properly protected against this threat. Our maintenance process ensures that operating system and anti-virus program and definition updates are applied to these workstations on a regular basis. These patches should prevent the virus from infecting campus workstations. If it is suspected that a workstation may be having a problem related to this virus, please contact the Help Desk to log a support ticket and IT will review the status of the workstation in question.
Lab Computers
Most lab computers should be up-to-date enough to prevent this virus from causing any problems. We are reviewing the patch level of all lab computers and will address any that may discovered to be out-of-date. If you are working on a lab computer and it appears to become infected, please shut down the computer and then turn it back on. Doing this will reset the computer to a predefined state and remove anything that may have been installed while the computer was in use. If problems still persist, please contact the Help Desk.
University-Owned Computers Used Off-Campus
Laptops used by university employees and groups who travel, or other university-owned computers that are not directly connected to the Olivet network, may not be fully protected. The level of protection will depend on how long it has been since the computer was connected to the campus network or how long it has been since operating system and anti-virus updates have been applied. To ensure that the system is fully protected, it is recommended that the Windows Update and anti-virus update processes be run.
Anti-Virus Updates - You should expect to see an icon in the system tray for the anti-virus software being used. Right clicking the icon should provide a short menu and one of the items on the menu should allow for the update process to be triggered. If no update option is presented, go into the main program window and initiate an update process from there. The exact steps for doing so will vary based on the anti-virus software being used.
Windows Updates - Windows XP - To manually run the Windows Update process under Windows XP, open up a browser window (you must use Internet Explorer) and enter http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com as the desired URL. Follow the prompts and install any recommended updates that are listed. Note that if you have not run Windows Update recently or your system is not set to automatically run updates, you may need to run the update process multiple times to ensure all updates are received.
Windows Updates - Windows Vista - To manually run the Windows Update process under Windows Vista, navigate to the Control Panel and then select Windows Update from the program listing. If the process does not automatically begin searching for updates, click the "Check for updates" link in the upper-left corner of the window. If a listing of updates is displayed, make sure all recommended updates are selected and then install the updates. Note that if you have not run Windows Update recently or your system is not set to automatically run updates, you may need to run the update process multiple times to ensure all updates are received.
Student and Other Personally-Owned Computers
Personal computers owned by students and faculty or staff may not be fully protected. As with university-owned computers used off-campus, the level of protection will depend on how long it has been since operating system and anti-virus updates have been applied. To ensure that the system is fully protected, it is recommended that the Windows Update and anti-virus update processes be run. The directions listed above for updating anti-virus definitions and applying Windows Updates should be followed.
As stated earlier, it is unclear what kind of damage or problems this worm may try to cause or if the April 1 date is accurate or just a hoax. The best thing to do is be prepared by following the steps above to ensure your computer is protected.
If you have any further questions about this virus or any other security concerns, please contact the Help Desk at (815) 939-5302 or (866) 400-5302 toll-free. You may also email us at it@olivet.edu.
