Here is a simple method to determine if your PC is infected with the Conficker Virus.  The conficker virus will prevent a PC from accessing the security websites. Joe Stewart is the director of malware research at SecureWorks, and he has created a neat Web page that instantly and visually tells you if you’re likely to be infected by the Conficker worm.
http://www.joestewart.org/cfeyechart.html
Simple. Very nice.

he Conficker worm mostly spreads across networks. If it finds a vulnerable computer, it turns off the automatic backup service, deletes previous restore points, disables many security services, blocks access to a number of security web sites and opens infected machines to receive additional programs from the malware’s creator. The worm then tries to spread itself to other computers on the same network.

How does the worm infect a computer?The Downadup worm tries to take advantage of a problem with Windows (a vulnerability) called MS08-067 to quietly install itself. Users who automatically receive updates from Microsoft are already protected from this. The worm also tries to spread by copying itself into shared folders on networks and by infecting USB devices such as memory sticks. Continue reading Conficker Confused: →