Mon, Jan 26, 2009

Autorun/Autoplay
Autorun/Autoplay is a feature of Microsoft Windows that allows software on removable media (such as flash drives or memory cards) to run automatically. Some worms/viruses, such as Conficker, use Autorun/Autoplay to propagate from one machine to another. It is safest to disable Autorun/Autoplay entirely on Windows computers. To disable Autorun/Autoplay, follow the instructions at http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-020A.html. Microsoft has admitted that their original instructions do not fully disable Autorun/Autoplay, and have provided updates at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953252. The loss of the autorun/autoplay feature will mean that software will no longer run automatically when you insert digital media. Most often, this means that software will not automatically install when you insert the installation CD or DVD, and you will have to click the drive icon of the removable device and then double-click on the installer icon (usually called "setup"). However, music and video CDs and DVDs will continue to play automatically.

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