Scotland Yard and the case of the rent-a-zombies

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Where were you the week before last, then?

--"Oh but they can get infected just by going to a web site. Baloney, I haven't heard of a user having had it happen. Oh sure there is someone, somewhere that had the misfortune, but people get them everyday and this has been a minor problem. (So far)"--

There was a rather large attack on commercial website servers to install just the software to do what you are pooh-poohing. That software will download along with a web page, install in the background and "zombie" your machine. It goes past the A/V programs because it is not a virus, it is not detected by the firewall because you already gave that website your blessing and the file is coming from said site.

On top of that, the attack was getting past Microsoft's IIS technology against which it was specifically directed. The authorities caught one person in Russia and patted themselves on the back. However, no one can be certain if he acted alone or that the attacks didn't succeed.

But this story isn't about those kinds of unknowing "zombie" systems. It concerns people with static IP addresses allowing a distributor of spam to use their PCs for a specified time frame to send junk e-mail. These people know what is being done with their computers and aren't so innocent. That being said, it is one thing to allow it willingly and another to be an unknowing dupe.

Posted by: AbsolutelyNot   Posted on: 07/08/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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