Microsoft and nearly 20 other organizations and firms have joined forces to formulate a coordinated, global response to the Conficker (AKA Downadup) worm. At the same time, Microsoft announced a $250,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of the hackers behind Conficker. The last time Microsoft offered a reward was in 2004, when it posted a $250,000 reward for the maker of the Sasser worm. Along with Microsoft, organizations involved in this collaborative effort include ICANN, Symantec, F-Secure,