The hype surrounding Conficker just seems to be increasing and the latest variant ( C ) apparently has some interesting capabilities such as disabling security software ( AV, firewalls, etc. ), killing processes for running security apps and p2p networking to spread infection. The worm exploits a vulnerability in the Windows Server service that is patched by Microsoft patch MS08-067. This latest variant is due ( according to substantiated reports ) on the 1st of April. Is this an April Fool’s Joke or a real threat? We’ll see.
If you have patched your systems or use an alternate OS, then this is not an issue. However, the statistics for unpatched Windows platforms indicate that large amounts are still vulnerable to this and other attacks. For those in doubt, patch management specialists like Shavlik, Altiris and Kaseya can assist in checking networks of PCs and servers for this and other patches, secure configurations and application vulnerabilities.
More information here at the Shavlik blog.
