This message is for those who run Windows operating systems on a PC as well as those who run Windows Operating Systems on a Macintosh using tools such as VMWare Fusion or Parallels.
Faculty/Staff Computers on the Wesleyan Network:
This threat exploits a vulnerability in Windows operating system for which Microsoft issued a patch as early as in October 2008. At that time, we patched all faculty/staff PCs which login to the Wesleyan domain to protect against the threat. We have confirmed that this patching succeeded and that these computers are therefore not vulnerable.
Student Computers and Faculty/Staff computers that do not log in to Wesleyan Domain:
Since students do not log in to Wesleyan domain, we would not have applied the patch to their computers and they should follow the instructions below to make sure that their machines are patched. Similarly, there may computers in departments (for eg. Computers used by student employees) and research labs where no one logs into Wesleyan domain, which also may not have been patched. They should also be patched.
Personally-owned Computers:
Please make sure that all your personally owned computers including those at home are protected by following the directions below to patch them.
Microsoft links to patches and removal tool:
Running Windows Update on your home machine and applying all critical patches will patch the Windows vulnerability. Here is also a direct link to the security update for Home Computers: ;
Windows Update
Make sure your anti-virus program is current and run a scan on your machine to ensure that the worm did not enter your machine prior to the patch.
This Microsoft doc contains information about the worm, the vulnerability, and includes many links to patches.
Microsoft Technet Doc about Conficker
We are providing you with what we think are useful links to information about this vulnerability and the worm that seeks to exploit it:
Additional Information on this worm:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker
Symantec Conficker information
This threat is removable and following these simple steps