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Ask the Expert: Can a Botnet Really Turn My Computer Into a Zombie?

Q: “I recently read about something called bots and botnets, and that these things can turn my computer into a zombie. What does that mean? Can you explain what botnets are and what they do?”

A: Botnets are a new and scary online phenomenon. In layman’s terms, a botnet is a network of infected computers that are controlled virtually by a botmaster.

With the rapid growth in bot infections, it’s vitally important that everyone get up to speed about this threat.

Night of the Living BotNets

Botmasters can take over computers in a variety of ways, but usually they do it by sending infected emails to unsuspecting users. When the user opens a file attached to the email, their machine becomes infected.

After a computer becomes infected, the botmaster adds it to his or her botnet, which is the network of infected computers. Infected computers are sometimes called “zombie” computers.

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Email Safety Infographic: Scams, Scams, and More Scams

It’s not always easy figuring out how an email or social media account got hacked, but did you know that at least 15% of victims recalled having used a public Internet terminal or public WiFi prior to the hack? Click the headline above to see an infographic and the results of a new online privacy survey that will definitely make you think twice before logging on — without protection — in a WiFi hotspot! Read More

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Cybercrime Outlook 2020: The Good, Bad, and Ugly for Your Online Privacy

According to one security company’s analysts, there are several cybercrime predictions that you should prepare for in the coming decade. The group that has made these predictions, Kaspersky Lab, says the problem of privacy protection will be one of the key issues of the decade. Read More

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Identity Theft, Fraud, Could Rise as E-filing Becomes ‘New Normal’

About 70% of all taxpayers used the government’s e-file service to file taxes in 2010, which means that 43 million people filed their taxes by snail mail last year. However, the IRS may eventually require all taxpayers to file online. In light of this potential change, check out this article on MSNBC – which points out that “spam email inquiries asking about sensitive information…tend to heat up especially during tax season.” The article shares helpful steps to ensure you are safeguarding your online protection during tax season.

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Mules, Hackers, and Cyberpunks, Oh My: A Step-by-Step Look At How the Dark Side Works

CEO Kent Lawson explores “the dark side” of hackers — a scary reality that many of us choose to ignore. He says many people ask, “Why would any hacker want to steal information from me? I don’t have anything that interesting to steal. I’m sure I’m safe.” Unfortunately, usually the first indication we get that we are a victim of identity theft is when we get our bank statement. Read on for a step-by-step look at how victims — maybe YOU one day — are targeted, as well as security steps to implement NOW! Read More

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Online Security: Global Spam Email Levels Fall

BBC News reports on a a “precipitous decline” in spam messages, noting that one security firm detected around 200 billion spam messages being sent each day in August 2010, but just 50 billion by December. The majority of spam is sent by networks of infected computers known as botnets; the article points out that one botnet, called Rustock, was once responsible for almost 48% of spam, but by December it accounted for just 0.5% of global spam.

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Attorney Crusades Against Spam Emails

An attorney who is “not your average Internet consumer” and sues companies he accuses of violating California’s anti-spam law is working to eradicate all forms of spam. Though this Associated Press article says such lawsuits are “mere rain drops in the ocean” as there are approximately 200 billion spam messages each day, accounting for 90% of all email.

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