Zombie computer

From Free net encyclopedia

A zombie computer, abbreviated zombie, is a computer attached to the Internet that has been compromised by a security cracker, a computer virus, or a trojan horse. Crackers almost always target the Windows operating system because of its vast user base, security problems and perceived lack of technical savvy of its users. Generally, a compromised machine is only one of many in a "botnet", and will be used to perform malicious tasks of one sort or another under remote direction. Most owners of zombie computers are unaware that their system is being used in this way. Because the vector tends to be unconscious, these computers are metaphorically compared to a zombie.

Image:Circle-of-spam.png

Zombies have been used extensively to send e-mail spam; between 50% and 80% of all spam worldwide is now sent by zombie computers. [1] This allows spammers to avoid detection and presumably reduces their bandwidth costs, since the owners of zombies pay for their own bandwidth.

For similar reasons zombies are also used to commit click fraud against sites displaying pay per click advertising.

Zombies have also conducted distributed denial of service attacks, such as the attack upon the SPEWS service in 2003.

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