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Spams and Scams

Botnets and Zombies

Malicious code has evolved beyond the previous decade's nastiness. The cyber-criminals are now trying to obtain the most money – they will attempt to involve as many computers as possible.

A Botnet is a collection of software robots, or Bots, that run automatically. These are often associated with malicious software operated by hackers. The latest Bots can propagate themselves using vulnerabilities and weak passwords. Up to one quarter of all personal computers connected to the internet are thought to be part of a Botnet. Botnets are one of the biggest threats to the Internet, and the main source of revenue for the criminals.

A Zombie computer is a computer that has been compromised by a hacker, a virus, or a Trojan horse. As one of many in a Botnet, it will perform malicious tasks under remote direction. Most owners of zombie computers are unaware that their system has been compromised. Zombies have been used to send e-mail spam – 80% of all spam mail is sent by zombie computers. This allows spammers to avoid detection and reduces their bandwidth costs. The spam furthers the spread of Trojan Horses. Zombies can also be used to commit click fraud, host phishing or conduct denial-of-service attacks.

Some signs of infection

• The computer runs slowly
• The computer stops responding
• The computer crashes and restarts every few minutes
• Programs don't work correctly
• Disks drives are inaccessible
• Printing is incorrect
• Unusual error messages
• Distorted menus and dialog boxes
• Disconnection by your ISP

It is essential that each computer has the latest and best anti-virus software available installed.