News tagged with conficker

Conficker, also known as Downup, Downadup and Kido, is a computer worm targeting the Microsoft Windows operating system that was first detected in November 2008. It uses flaws in Windows software and dictionary attacks on administrator passwords to propagate while forming a botnet, and has been unusually difficult to counter because of its combined use of many advanced malware techniques. At its peak, the Conficker had infected an estimated seven million government, business and home computers in over 200 countries, making it the largest known computer worm infection since the 2003 SQL Slammer.