Conficker has been a mystery on when it would show its ugly face, but that has all changed. The secret is out on Conficker! Anti-virus companies reported seeing Conficker systems being updated with SpywareProtect2009, a so-called “misleading application” product that uses fake security alerts to frighten consumers into paying for bogus computer security software.

spywareprotect

According to Kaspersky Labs, once the scareware is downloaded, the victim will see the usual warnings, “which naturally asks if you want to remove the threats it’s ‘detected’. Of course, this service comes at a price – $49.95.” Kaspersky reports that the rogue anti-virus product is being downloaded from a Web server in Ukraine.

The first version of Conficker contained within its genetic makeup instructions telling infected systems to visit a site called TrafficConverter.biz. This was a site where distributors of rogue anti-virus products would go for the latest programs and links to the latest download locations.

TechJaws published an article about “Online Ads Serving Up Rogue Software” which many of these affiliates were making six-figure paychecks each month distributing this worthless software by various means, including ad networks.

If you have Conficker on your system, you will not be able to use that computer to visit most security sites. There are a few exceptions. For instance, Conficker blocks infected systems from visiting F-Secure.com, but not fsecure.com, which is the same domain.

To remove Conficker please go here.