Botnets Take Over Your Computer For Evil

Red Tape Chronicles has an interesting series of articles about botnets, groups of hijacked computers that can be controlled remotely to send spam, viruses, conduct break-ins, host phishing sites, and of course, commandeer more computers. If you don’t take adequate steps to protect your computer, it could become some criminal’s slave.

IS YOUR COMPUTER A CRIMINAL?
VIRUS GANG WARFARE SPILLS ONTO THE NET
WHO’S BEHIND CRIMINAL BOT NETWORKS?

You can help protect your computer from botnets by practicing safe surfing:
• Only install software you know to be safe
• Protect yourself with programs like ZoneAlarm (firewall, anti-virus), Spysweeper (anti-spyware, anti-virus), and Ad-Aware (anti-spyware, anti-malware).
• Remember that visiting “questionable” sites is a sure way to attract trojans.

— BEN POPKEN

(Photo: Dan Coulter)

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