Bot Nets.--------------------------------A botnet is a collection of infected computers under the control of one or more attackers. These botnets are used for a variety of criminal purposes -– all of which pose serious risk to the infected user as well as to the entire Internet community.
Once your computer is under the control of a botnet, it may be used to spam others, host phishing sites and other illicit files, infect or attack others, or have adware and spyware foisted on it so the attackers can collect from various affiliate advertising programs.
Even worse, many of today’s threats include keylogging capabilities. Of special interest to the attackers are your personal financial details – once stolen they are used for everything from credit card fraud to outright identity theft. In short, it’s not just your computer at risk – it’s your wallet.
How Big Are Botnets?
The botnet population is huge. According to a study by McAfee, "at least 12 million computers around the world (are) compromised by botnets." That means the botnet operators are controlling a population roughly the size of Guatemala. In fact, the number of infected systems would place it at about 70 out of 230 sovereign states and territories. More than Greece, bigger than Hungary, Belgium, Portugal or Cuba, and just a million behind Zimbabwe and Ecuador. The Czech Republic, Bolivia, Sweden, and the Dominican Republic would all be smaller.
While broadband users are favorite targets, dial-up users are equally vulnerable. Various studies have demonstrated that an unpatched, unprotected system can be compromised in as little as 5 minutes online. And if you're thinking it can't happen to you, think again.
What Do Botnets Do?
It's all about the money. Viruses, worms, and Trojans have evolved far beyond the childish pranks of yesteryear. Today's attackers are serious criminals -- in it for the money -- and your system spells international currency.
Botnets are used to steal credit card numbers, siphon intellectual property from companies, relay spam and other unwanted email, launch DDoS attacks, and any other actions desired by the attackers. A botnet is really nothing more than a cloud-based distributed network under the remote control of criminals.
Space on botnets can be leased by other attackers. Botnet operators get somewhere between 15 to 40 cents per infected computer, which means they need thousands of infected computers to make serious cash. And with all the focus on money, and not on notoriety, you can bet they'll make every effort to stay under your radar and get onto your system.
