Zombie Computers And Botnet Malware – Semalt Expert Gives The Answer Whether They Are Good Or Bad For Your Computer

A zombie computer is a device connected to the internet that is compromised by hackers. It is used for some malicious tasks and botnets of zombies are used to spread spam through emails. It also launches the denial-of-service attacks. The zombie computer owners don't even know that their systems are compromised as these programs work quietly and attack a large number of files. Frank Abagnale, the Semalt Customer Success Manager, says that coordinated DDoS attacks by botnets resemble zombie horde attacks, and various computer or mobile users are unaware of the bots. A botnet malware is the collection of a large number of internet-connected mobile or computer devices, each of which runs a specific bot. The botnets are used to perform a variety of distributed denial-of-service attacks, steal data, allow attackers to access your device, and to send spam emails or phishing links in a large number.

Not all botnet malware and zombie computers are bad:

You should bear in mind that not all botnets are harmful and malicious. For instance, some antivirus companies keep updating their policies with the help of botnets and the users have to follow their rules and regulations. Microsoft recently updated its policies and introduced a range of botnets that are user-friendly and prevent the attacks of harmful botnets. Thus, installing those botnets on your machine is not dangerous at all and should not be taken for granted. Botnets are created when malicious programs or viruses penetrate a device. The controller of botnets directs certain activities to the compromised devices via communication channels such as HTTP and IRC. The botnets are rented out by cyber attackers for a variety of purposes.

How to remain safe online?

You should install a quality anti-malware or antivirus program which should be the original and paid version to maximize your online safety. Besides, you should never click on the suspicious links and glittering ads as well as popup windows should not be opened as they may contain bots in a large number.

Millions of billions of PCs have been silently infected with botnets, creating a massive bot army and poising to steal or inflict a user's personal details online. Some bots comprise of both small and large botnet networks, such as Conficker, Zeus, Mariposa, BredoLab, and ZeroAccess. All of them wait for the commands from the botmasters before they start performing their functions.

The botnet commanders often sell the botnet services to the best-paying bidders. The customers are perpetrators of commercial espionage, political parties, and online criminal gangs, all of which aim to disrupt the cyber-attacks. The botnet threats are a major component of the online security landscape, and botnets are behind a large number of phishing attacks. Thus, their prevention is mandatory, and we should stop getting trapped by keyloggers, identity thefts, and phishing attacks. Both zombie computers and botnet malware can infect your devices, so you should be careful while surfing different websites.