Conficker

No and no.

Get malwarebytes AV its got an awesome free version and has always picked up infections unlike pretty much every paid for solution.

Don't think about it just go get it.

Jim

I love Malwarebytes, but the free version does NOT have "real-time" protection. meaning... you can get Conficker with MWB installed, but until you run a scan you will not know that Conifer on your computer until your PC starts acting funny.

But yes get Malwarebytes(.org) and install it just in case, bcause you won't be able to get to the internet once you get infected.

Supposedly microsoft's malware software will take care of it

I've read on different tech sites that one of the best things you can do to avoid being infected by Conficker is to keep your updates up to date. On everything, your antivirus, your spyware, your MS updates, everything.

And in many cases when your pc becomes infected by Conficker, you won't know it until you begin seeing popups all the time, stuff like that.

How can you get it out of your system? Don't know other than installing a new hard drive, which may become infected, too. In the meantime, they have all your passwords and users names.

One bad thing about Conficker , I've heard, is that it can be spread to other devices such as digital cameras when you upload pictures to your infected pc. If you have an infected flash drive and slip it into an uninfected pc, that pc becomes infected, too.

Best thing is to just assume your pc is already infected and operate on that basis?