Internet security giant McAfee is treating the Conficker worm’s potential April 1 trigger date as a serious threat, even if other observers are taking a wait-and-see stance and still others are saying that the trigger date embedded in variant ‘C’ of the bug is, itself a hoax to distract researchers around the world who are working feverishly to track down the source of the infection.

Microsoft (MS) is also taking the situation very seriously and has, in fact, offered a (US)($250,000 reward for the group or individual who tracks down the source of the Conficker worm and exterminates the bug.

McAfee says the bug is hard to find, but there are symptoms you should be able to see…

…Once it is on a computer, Conficker digs itself in by attempting to deactivate security software and sabotaging tools to remove it. If you notice that you’re unable to access Web sites such as www.mcafee.com or your security software is acting up, that could be a sign that your system was taken by Conficker.

The good news is that protecting against Conficker isn’t hard. There are two basic things that will ensure a Windows computer is shielded against the worm.

• Install Microsoft’s Security Update MS08-067
• Run up-to-date anti-malware software

Most of the major anti-virus companies offer free online scans that will catch and kill Conficker.

McAfee will follow the ‘progress’ of the Conficker worm tomorrow on its Avert Labs Blog.