Like the Y2K bug, the projected havoc the Conflicker computer worm threatened to wreak on April 1 seems to have been bloated, but the threat remains.
Conflicker infects computers and creates its own network, which could allow cyber-criminals to take control of users' computers to send spam or attack particular Web sites. Estimates put the number of infected computers at several million.
Experts had feared that a reference to April 1 in the worm's code indicated that it would go live worldwide on that date, causing unknown damage. As for now, the worm changes security settings on infected computers and blocks access to anti-virus Web sites.
Kathy Bergsma, UF's information technology security manager, believes that the threat to UF is minimal.
"We've had way less than 50 infected machines on campus," she said, indicating the number could be as low as 20.
UF has monitored the worm since it appeared in October 2008 and has been in contact with other universities on how to cope with developments, such as new strains of the worm.
Although the ports, or entry points, that the worm would use to enter UF's network have been blocked, it could still spread into the network through an infected laptop or USB device, Bergsma said.
Ed Wedge, manager of the computer repair company Gatorland Computers, said that he had extra staff on hand Wednesday in case the worm turned violent. "We're gearing up for whatever comes down the road," he said Wednesday afternoon.
