Where does spam come from? Well, there are these things called botnets. They’re networks of hijacked computers that secretly do the bidding of their masters. Often, they send out spam. Comcast plans to offer an automated service that will inform you, within your browser, if your computer is behaving as if it has been compromised by malware.

How shall this be determined? PCMag says:

To gather information about infected computers, Comcast receives data from Internet research groups like Spamhaus that specialize in identifying bots – data that includes lists of infected IP addresses. Comcast keeps an eye out for malicious bot behavior like spam, denial-of-service attacks, and repeated connection requests. All of that data is then aggregated to see if a customer’s computer has been infected.

Comcast said it is the first ISP to provide this type of in-browser notification.

Comcast says:

A bot is a type of virus that allows an attacker to force your computer to perform actions, usually without your knowledge. Once a bot is in control of your computer, it can be used to send spam, host phishing sites or infect other computers. Online thieves use bots to collect personal data such as Social Security numbers, bank account information and credit card numbers. When this personal data is collected without your permission, it’s often used to steal your identity, withdraw money from your bank account(s), and make fraudulent purchases on your credit card(s).

What do you think of this?

[Comcast Constant Guard]
Comcast Unveils Comprehensive “Constant Guard” Internet Security Program [Comcast]
Comcast to Warn PC Users If They’re Infected [PC Mag]

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