How To Protect Your PC From Becoming A Zombie Without Your Knowledge
Written on November 19, 2009 by Kay
Zombie PCs: Botnets
Google Search is so entrenched in today’s society that it has become a verb meaning “I’m going to look that up, as in I’m going to Google that”. That’s when you know that you’ve arrived. The instant information at our fingertips is made possible via complicated search algorithms that Google employs; the amazing speed at which such search results are returned is made possible by clustering multitudes of computers together, teaming them all up into one harmonious big brain that crunches through data like nobody’s business.
The same cluster computing that makes Google so great can also be used for the dark side of computing. One home PC isn’t as powerful as thousands of home PCs, working together under the radar. What can such a host of compromised PCs accomplish (a botnet) when teamed over a network? Everybody’s beloved spam, for instance, can be blasted out to recipients faster and cover more ground when souped-up via a botnet. Think of a single zombie PC as a quaint garden hose; now think of a botnet of PCs as a firetruck hose, the ones that need like 5 firemen just to tame it, and you’ll get the idea.
There are many ways for your PC to become infected with bot malware. A bot can ride in from a malicious website if your browser and malware scanner aren’t equipped to handle it. A bot program can even take over your computer by traditional means if you run an infected executable program. Unfortunately, the glut of bots out there in the wild is too much for most anti-malware companies to keep up with; as a result, some bots can slip through the cracks of today’s malware detection software. The best defense is to only surf reputable website if you can help it, always keep your browser (Firefox, Internet Explorer, et al.) up-to-date, update your anti-malware software’s definitions to defend against the latest threats, and use Windows Update liberally.
Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool
It’s a good idea to let Windows Update do its thing automatically, so you don’t forget. Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool does a good job at seeking and destroying malware (bot software, for example) that may have crawled into your system. One version of the malware removal tool is updated monthly. This particular version vigilantly runs in the background on the second Tuesday of each month, and sends out a report to Microsoft detailing which infections (if any) it has found and removed. If you suddenly notice a change in your PC’s behavior (router bandwidth lights flashing continuously, sluggish computer, web page redirecting) then it’s a good idea to run the Malicious Software Removal Tool.
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BotHunter, a free anti-malware program, can also be used to take a proactive stance against infections. Not only does BotHunter run on Windows but also on UNIX, Linux, and Mac OSX. BotHunter keeps its finger on the pulse of your computer’s network data exchanges, flagging any known patterns that may indicate a zombie computer. BotHunter is credited for first identifying the Conflicker malware patterns back in November ‘08.
Cellphone Bots
Bots not only invade computers but cellphones too. Smart-phones equipped with the Symbian OS are known to become infected with the Sexy View SMS bot. A zombie cellphone may behave differently than a zombie PC, so you may not even be aware of your cellphone’s botlike intentions. As a whole, botnets probably aren’t going to be completely eradicated any time soon, so the best defense is to keep your PC clean and bot-free.
