Conficker (C) was programmed today to actively visit 500 out of 50,000 randomly generated web addresses to receive new instructions on how to behave. Conficker has begun to do this, according to security company F-Secure, but so far no doomsday scenarios have emerged.

According to security experts, the consensus seems to be that very little will happen today. This may be in part because of the high amount of publicity Conficker has received and many PC users followed instructions on how to protect their systems from this potential threat;

• Make sure your Antivirus is updated with the latest virus definitions
• Make sure your Windows OS has the latest patches

Where do we go from here?

Similar trigger dates have already passed with little change, including January 1, according to according to Phil Porras, a program director with SRI International. Security experts at Symantec, the maker of Norton Antivirus, also believe the threat is overblown and says Conficker today will “start taking more steps to protect itself” and “use a communications system that is more difficult for security researchers to interrupt.”

While today may be a non-event, Conficker could be used to create harm in the future.

Make sure you keep your Antivirus and Windows up to date!!!