Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
It was just a matter of time until Conficker phoned home and sent his next round of its global botnet updates. That day has arrived.
The Conficker botnet, which includes 3 to 15 million PCs, a peer to (P2P) functionality that allows each PC on the network to talk to each other peer. Each PC has the capacity to become the control server. This feature allows to update Conficker fluidly each PC on the network.
The latter variant shows that Conficker updating via P2P, as opposed to ping a website for any updates. This makes Conficker "autonomous."
A botnet is a network of computers robot zombies under the control of a single leader. The concept behind a botnet is strength in numbers. Botnets can attack Web sites, send spam, and record data, which can lead to data breaches, credit card fraud and identity theft, and eventually clog up a network that 'he stops.
CNET reports that the researchers observed Conficker made its first update, they believe a keylogger, a form of spyware designed to connect names user and passwords. This new update also indicates the zombies looking for other computers that have not been corrected with the update from Microsoft. The worm also pings sites MySpace.com, MSN.com, eBay.com, CNN.com and AOL.com to determine if the PC has Internet access.
The record indicates that Conficker is now Pinging what is known as Waledac domain, which contacts a new server if the current is blacklisted by ISPs for spamming. This allows the virus to download multiple updates.
In 2007 and 2008, Storm Worm was thought to have infected more than 50 million PCs. Waledac uses the same technology as Storm Worm 
All this means that Conficker is about as dangerous as a virus can be, with the best of the best technologies, both old and new. While the virus has yet to strike, it is certainly prepared.
To protect yourself, be sure that you have updated Internet security software, and consider a protection service against identity theft.
The speaker Identity Theft Robert Siciliano discusses criminals using viruses to hack credit cards.
Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, an expert on identity theft, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 and start-up companies as a consultant on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. the thoughts and advice of Siciliano on all these issues often appear in both television and print media news, including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of safety training as a member of the American Society for Industrial Security. He is the author of two books, including The Safety Minute: Living on high alert; How to take control of your personal safety and to prevent fraud . He also established a partnership with Uni-Ball to help raise awareness of the growing threat of identity theft and provide tips on how you can protect yourself.