Conficker infection on network - advice wanted on removal/protection

[eggedd2k]

I posted a few weeks ago but have done some further work/consideration
about this issue.

I've just taken on a new client whose network has been left in pretty
bad shape by their previous IT support provider. They have
approximately 11 XP workstations and 1 SBS 2003 DC.

To sum up the state they're in:

- No server or workstation Windows Updates installed for a very long
time (still on XP SP2)
- AVG Personal Edition on all workstations, AVG SBS on the server but
expired May 2010.
- No logon passwords needed/very poor passwords on workstations
- Conficker virus infection on all computers.

The previous IT firm seemed to give up on the client once they knew
they had a Conficker infection.


I want to rid them of the Conficker virus first of all. My plan of
attack is as follows:-

One workstation at a time:

1. Format the workstation. Reinstall Windows.
2. Install all available Windows Updates.
3. Install business class anti-virus software
4. Implement additional protection to prevent reinfection (see below)
5. Ensure complex logon password
6. Join the workstation back into the domain and configure for the
user.

By doing this I'm hoping to gradually one workstation at a time
eradicate the virus from the network and prevent reinfection once the
workstation is re-introduced to the network. Additionally doing one at
a time to prevent mass downtime.

The advice I would appreciate from you guys is:

1. I want to PREVENT re-infection. This is crucial. As well as updates
and AV software I plan on doing the following:

- Complex local admin password
- Block Autorun

Is there anything else I can do on the workstation before
reintroducing it to the network to PREVENT reinfection?

2. Is this the most effective method of removing the virus from the
whole network?




Thanks in advance.

 

[eggedd2k]

thanks for your response on this.

Yes the server is infected.

Having thought this through it's clear that by doing one system at a
time there is a risk of reinfection when the cleaned workstation is
joined back into the network.

The Microsoft link you posted is of great help and this is clearly the
path to go down:

1. Stop Conficker from spreading via group policy.
2. Clean each system with AV/Malwarebytes/Malicious Software Removal
tool

thanks again for your help on this!

 

[SteveB]

Especially with the server also infected how will you be sure that all
infections are totally removed without also reformatting the server and
reinstalling SBS?

 

[Susan Bradley]

I posted a few weeks ago but have done some further work/consideration
about this issue.

I've just taken on a new client whose network has been left in pretty
bad shape by their previous IT support provider. They have
approximately 11 XP workstations and 1 SBS 2003 DC.

To sum up the state they're in:

- No server or workstation Windows Updates installed for a very long
time (still on XP SP2)
- AVG Personal Edition on all workstations, AVG SBS on the server but
expired May 2010.
- No logon passwords needed/very poor passwords on workstations
- Conficker virus infection on all computers.

The previous IT firm seemed to give up on the client once they knew
they had a Conficker infection.


I want to rid them of the Conficker virus first of all. My plan of
attack is as follows:-

One workstation at a time:

1. Format the workstation. Reinstall Windows.
2. Install all available Windows Updates.
3. Install business class anti-virus software
4. Implement additional protection to prevent reinfection (see below)
5. Ensure complex logon password
6. Join the workstation back into the domain and configure for the
user.

By doing this I'm hoping to gradually one workstation at a time
eradicate the virus from the network and prevent reinfection once the
workstation is re-introduced to the network. Additionally doing one at
a time to prevent mass downtime.

The advice I would appreciate from you guys is:

1. I want to PREVENT re-infection. This is crucial. As well as updates
and AV software I plan on doing the following:

- Complex local admin password
- Block Autorun

Is there anything else I can do on the workstation before
reintroducing it to the network to PREVENT reinfection?

2. Is this the most effective method of removing the virus from the
whole network?




Thanks in advance.

Call Microsoft security at 1-800-Microsoft and ask for their CSS
security team for Conficker and they will help you with what to do.

Apologies for this... but please repost to www.sbsforum.info this
newsgroup is closing tomorrow.

 

[Barry Schwarz]

On Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:30:11 -0700, Susan Bradley

snip

Apologies for this... but please repost to www.sbsforum.info this
newsgroup is closing tomorrow.

While some servers may drop the newsgroup (you didn't identify which
of the three you meant), it will have no affect on the other servers
that carry it.

 

[Susan Bradley]

On Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:30:11 -0700, Susan Bradley

snip

While some servers may drop the newsgroup (you didn't identify which
of the three you meant), it will have no affect on the other servers
that carry it.

The reality is that many of us will not find another nntp server, so if
you want the largest pool of helpers, this is the reality.

 

[Paul]

The reality is that many of us will not find another nntp server, so if
you want the largest pool of helpers, this is the reality.

http://www.aioe.org/

nntp.aioe.org is available, with no registration required.

You can start using it immediately.

I'm posting from it right now.

The reason the owner can afford to do it, is his NNTP server
does not support binaries or movie downloads.

Paul

 

[Barry Schwarz]

The reality is that many of us will not find another nntp server, so if
you want the largest pool of helpers, this is the reality.

If you are using a newsreader (as opposed to a web browser), there are
several servers that are either free or have one time fees of less
than US $10.

 

[SteveB]

Sure we could switch to something else but why bother? As Susan points out
you will receive only very limited responses to questions and most of the
pool of well qualified respondents such as SBS MVPs and Microsoft personnel
will all be using the new forum. That forum is also easily accessed by an
NNTP reader using the community bridge.

Steve

 

[Leythos]

I posted a few weeks ago but have done some further work/consideration
about this issue.

I've just taken on a new client whose network has been left in pretty
bad shape by their previous IT support provider. They have
approximately 11 XP workstations and 1 SBS 2003 DC.

To sum up the state they're in:

- No server or workstation Windows Updates installed for a very long
time (still on XP SP2)
- AVG Personal Edition on all workstations, AVG SBS on the server but
expired May 2010.
- No logon passwords needed/very poor passwords on workstations
- Conficker virus infection on all computers.

The previous IT firm seemed to give up on the client once they knew
they had a Conficker infection.


I want to rid them of the Conficker virus first of all. My plan of
attack is as follows:-

One workstation at a time:

1. Format the workstation. Reinstall Windows.
2. Install all available Windows Updates.
3. Install business class anti-virus software
4. Implement additional protection to prevent reinfection (see below)
5. Ensure complex logon password
6. Join the workstation back into the domain and configure for the
user.

By doing this I'm hoping to gradually one workstation at a time
eradicate the virus from the network and prevent reinfection once the
workstation is re-introduced to the network. Additionally doing one at
a time to prevent mass downtime.

The advice I would appreciate from you guys is:

1. I want to PREVENT re-infection. This is crucial. As well as updates
and AV software I plan on doing the following:

- Complex local admin password
- Block Autorun

Is there anything else I can do on the workstation before
reintroducing it to the network to PREVENT reinfection?

2. Is this the most effective method of removing the virus from the
whole network?

You can't do this one at a time, you need to down all workstations, keep
them off the network, and then do as follows:

Download the Avira Antivir Server product, it will run for 30 days,
install it on the server, reboot, make sure it updated, run a full scan.

Download Avira Antivir and put it on a USB stick, download the manual
updates.

Now, take one of the XP workstations, assuming the company was smart
enough to purchase all the same systems around the same time - wipe it,
reinstall from scratch, install Avira Antivir, connect to the network,
do all the updates, DO NOT JOIN THE DOMAIN YET. Now, SYSPREP the
computer making it ready to clone to the other computers...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

Now, clone the computer's HD to the other machines that are the same
type/model.

Bring them all online, rejoin them to the domain, install a Enterprise
type AV solution that is managed by the server, don't make local
workstation users LOCAL ADMINISTRATORS.

Next, get them a firewall appliance that can inspect email and HTTP
traffic and remove malware - like the www.watchguard.com units.

 

[Leythos]

The reality is that many of us will not find another nntp server, so if
you want the largest pool of helpers, this is the reality.

I think the reality is that Usenet was around long before MS even
learned about email or the Internet and will be around long after it.

The forums are a bad way and cumbersome.

 

[Jim]

The reality is that many of us will not find another nntp server, so if
you want the largest pool of helpers, this is the reality.

Not find another nntp....compared to which? I'm guessing you conect to
a Microsoft NNTP server, but I bet most don't.

I personally do not like the Microsoft forums, I prefer NNTP.


Jim