RSSResearchers Count a Million Zombie PCs
By David Worthington | Published March 17, 2005, 5:17 PM
The BBC has reported that there are as many as one million "zombie" PCs connected to the Internet. Zombies are machines that have been compromised by hackers and hijacked to carry out attacks against Web sites and spread malware and spam.
The BBC's report indicated that investigators spent several months tracking more than one hundred networks of remotely-controlled machines with the largest network being comprised of 50,000 home computers.
The research was conducted by a group called the "Honeynet Project."
During the monitoring, hijacking attempts were so pervasive that machines set up as "honey pots" to collect information were found by hijacking attack tools within minutes.
In one instance, a machine was compromised within seconds of being put online. Hijacking tools seek out commonly known vulnerabilities in operating systems for exploitation.
Researchers also observed 226 separate distributed denial of service attacks against 99 different targets.
Many of you don't understand that security is a process and not a product or set of products. Antivirus and firewall are a good start, but by no means a complete solution. AV can be disabled by malware, firewalls can be skirted (software Firewalls are trivial and hardware/remote firewalls also, but less so if effective filtering is being done.)
These "people" could be your neighbors who update everything they are told to, but forget the java client, or real audio client, both of which have vulnerbilities unless using the latest and greatest versions released within the past 1-2 months. Users don't check security websites for all their products. Users don't know to scan using multiple programs. users DON'T HAVE A CLUE about running day-to-day as an admin from a windows box. This is a security no-no and linux and Mac's had this figured out many years ago.
And why should the user know this? They don't have the resources of checking all their products for holes. They don't have an IT staff. They have no idea about user versus root permissions. They've never been told about this because the press is reactive and only cares about worms and massive trojans, even then it's become passee.
Don't blame the user, blame the underlying technology and how it's just not educationg the users effectively.
Score: 0
|Many don't care. I have a friend who's a computer tech for a local computer company. Alot of poeple buy computers just for online chat, and/or games or whatever, as far as everything else they simply don't care and don't want to be bothered.
They don't care until all those virus' and spyware apps start having an effect on computer performance to a point that it is affecting their ability to use their programs then they care.
Usually at this point they get a friend to fix things or bring their computer to a store (like where my friend works) and pay to get their computers "tuned-up".
My friend says that if they don't have a firewall or anti-virus then they don't install one, return customer meens more money.
Score: 0
|Exactly! I have nieces and nephews who use their pc's almost exclusively for on-line chat and downloading music. Antivirus? firewalls? Ha, ha, ha, ha!! Not a snowball's chance in hell! I once spent a couple of hours fixing one of their pc's. It had over 750 rogue startup entries and numerous viruses! No kidding. And they wondered why it was taking 30 minutes to boot up and then perform like a snail. Unfortunately, for most of these on-line chatterboxes, home computer security is simply not an issue.
Score: 0
|Right you have to see it through the eyes of a customer who only want to chat, play a game, surf porn.. So and when their PC clutters up with what ever virus, trojan etc. who cares? No important data is stored, means not that important enough to foramt your disk and start all over again with a new and fresh OS.
Software makers still don't understand one penny of how it should be for what kind of customer...
By the way all those Anti Virus Softwares are killing my PC's performance more then a little virus of trojan!
Score: 0
|Do not touch my legion of undead! They are MINE! Now rise my mighty soldiers! The time hast come! RIIIISE! HAHAhaha
Score: 0
|using the same tools that the hackers do these researchers should do the same thing scan and install a pop up window every 5 minites saying update idiot plus have links to free antivirus firewall and spyware scanner and removal tools.
sure it would create more internet trafic at first but a million zombie pcs a lot of people need a wake up call and im sure 1 million is a conservative figure.
i dont think a test for people buying a new pc would do any good either most people just go to a big box store to get their computers and the sales people are are almost as stupid as the noobs ask anything thats above basic for example if graghics are intrigrated agp or pci express and they're all confused.
microsoft is going the wrong way with their spyware/addware software it should be available to every one but of course the challange would be getting these idiots to install the software but the pop up suggestion at the start of my post would hopfully annoy them enough to do it.
Score: 0
|yes their are plenty of good fire walls and anti virus, and anti spy ware tools out their on the net for free
Score: 0
|Way-to-go WOW us with your uber terminology such as "Zombie PCs". Anyway... I'm surprised that there are a million users that don't realise there computer has been hacked. And ashamed.
We've actually reached a point where peoples ignorance is actually destructive for the rest of us.
Score: 0
|*holds up voodoo doll*
back in line and hush... you will be a complacent lemming
hehehehehe
Score: 0
|Not surprised at all, dumbies who leave their high speed internet connected AND have an outdated antivirus/firewall, and simply refuse to update windows. I still receive phone calls on PC's with issues and the customer is still using XP Gold (no service packs!!!). They keep the internet connected but only use their PC to play those stupid Pogo games or whatever, while their PC literally ruins countless lives sending spam and spreading malware. But da**itt they get their da*n music downloaded and they get to play their da*n games! My gosh maybe if people weren't so selfish they might listen to people who warn them.
The worst are people who know they have malware and don't care. They have a ghost image of their drive that they create with a pirated version of whatever program, wait till the malware prevents them from working and just re-image their drive. Don't care about how many viruses they help spread because THEY don't have a problem. I'm sorry if I appear to be pis$ed off but heck I am! Zombie PC's are easily preventable yet people don't care as long as they can logon to pogo.com who cares if they cost businesses millions of dollars in damages from the crud they send out (understand I have nothing against Pogo.com either I am only using a common example).
Don't misunderstand me. I'm upset but I do understand there are those who are simply ignorant and would stop if they knew, I'm not mad at them. I am mad at those WILLFULLY ignorant or those who know but don't care.
Score: 0
|An outdated WinXP OS can always be kept safe with the right firewall configurations. External firewall would be best to avoid DDoS attempts. Then again, if you just install a firewall and leave it with the default settings: you may aswell uninstall it as your wasting space. People just need to pay attention to what programs on their computer they have and how they work. Then you restrict them so that they can only do what you want them to do. NOT what they CAN do. Ie: WinXP Filesharing Exploit.
Score: 0
|Agreed. I am only mentioning some of the ways home users can be protected. As many home users will not have an external firewall, the easiest thing for home users to do is update windows. Use a good virus scanner that is kept up to date as well, though many times simply updating Windows is enough to protect from viruses.
Really, though, it depends on what programs they use and such. Yeah Zonealarm or whatever firewall program can help but really there are few viruses that can get on your pc if you keep windows updated and change your cookie settings to Medium-high...
Score: 0
|This is exactly why people who don't know how to properly maintain a oomputer shouldn't use one. I know many people who don't run viruscans or adware checkers on a regular basis and it sickens me. I still try to educate as many people as I can on it.
It's just simple basic preventative maintanance. I don't understand whats so hard. I think when you get a computer you should also get a basic computer usage guide to help beginners.
Score: 0
|Better yet, make people pass a Computer Ed test (including basic computer use and computer safety) before being able to buy a computer.
Score: 0
|Unfortunately, using a computer "as-is" from almost any distributor, the system comes vulnerable.
There needs to be some onus on the retailers and manufacturers as well - while maintaining systems is ultimately the responsibility of the owner, the owner has a reasonable expectation that the system they buy is safe to use as is at the time they buy it.
Either this needs to be the case, or there needs to be a warning lable on the PC stating that
***"this system may not be safe to connect to the internet or other networks without the addition of security (antivirus, spyware protection and firewall) software and/or system updates."***
Score: 0
|I really agree with the above post. A test would be awesome :D
Score: 0
|A machine might be safe when it is sold but as new vulnerabilities are discovered it can be a problem later. Antivirus and to a lesser degree anti spyware software aren't very useful if you never update them.
Score: 0
|indeed,
except that i knew #### about computers until i gone one
Score: 0
|This is exactly why people who don't know how to properly maintain a oomputer shouldn't use one?????
The above comment is a bit harsh!
Its not user's fault nine times out of ten its the people that supply the PC's in the first place. The spotty noobs at PC world!
My dad got suckered into buying a PC loaded with software £1000 pounds being the price of the package, half the software he would not be able to use due to lack of knowledge (sorry dad).
I had a look at it and it didn't even include a decent virus scanner. £1000 pounds with a crap virus scanner!!!
Its the people that supply these PC's fault cutting down on cost to a point were the user gets a crap pc with nothing of use installed on it. cheap and irresistable! to the new user.
If its become such a berden why don't microsoft get there hands out there pocket and come up with something in there OS programs, instead of giving us the "record sound" option or the "mine sweeper" game?? or some other crap they include that no body uses.
Score: 0
|Lol a computer test!
You guys were newbs as well!
I knew #### when it came to pc's as well but look at me now. Im telling and learning people how to opperate.
I grew up with a pc and have alot of years behind me know so i know how these newbs feel.
Thay ay got a clue!
porn and maybe the online gaming is all there interested at the moment thats the only reason they got a pc in the first place.
Porns sites being the birth of spam and viruses!!
Score: 0
|Absolute worst thing is most PC manufacturers send their systems with TRIAL versions of popular anti-virus programs, yet consumers think they are still protected after 90 days. Sounds like I'm lying, but I receive calls almost every day where someone had a 90-day trial of norton av 2002 and think they are still protected.
Score: 0
|What about viruses, troyans and other malware that neither AV programs nor any other recognize as such? I've had experiance with those as well. There is nothing that can guard a computer as a 1. nicely configured firewall, 2. a good antivirus app, 3. a good antiadware app and 4. a nice antispam app or as a last resort manually finding hostile apps and manually deleting them and usig HiJackThis as a tool to view malicious processes and also delete them. An updated Windows system is nice, but it is not the key to a well protected and well functioning rig. For some computers updating can be a nightmare, like those with mission critical apps instaled that do not work well, or do not work at all with newest Windows patches or service packs. The key to a well protected computer is a well configured firewall and after it everythig else (antivirus and similar). Home users need nothing better than a good software firewall like for instance Outpost. But the biggest problem is that many people (I am talking about average home users) do not care about all this nor do they want to learn to protect their PC-s from being exploited by warz hackers and sapmmers and that is a damn shame.
Score: 0
|I would say many ISP's today are offerering free
AV's and Firewalls.
For instance, Charter offers F-secures firewall-AV
In the last few years ISP's have come along
way in the fight for their networks.
The word is getting out there more all the time..
About internet security.
One thing you may have left out is the fact
humans love free stuff so the biggest percentage
go for the free av, free AT, free firewalls.
They are better then nothing but not the best
way to go. I admire the programmers that do
offer their software as free or donation ware.
I don't think MS is going the wrong way on
their battle with antispyware but do not like their decision to make reformating more painful.
The new kid on the block is the rootkit.
the nasty, evil hidding rootkits LOL
Some say with programs like Process Guard, that you don't need an AV,AT or firewall.
I still use them all. I follow the layerd approach and have for many years.
Not many can just reformat their computer
at will either but there is nice software
like Deepfreeze that can be used by home users now.
Then there was the big deal with DELL
Yes they were installing spyware on
home computers till they got caught and were kept in check.
Of course they were not the only ones.
If home users can't build their own PC's
they must rely on companiies such as DELL
and so those companies better be trustable
or people like us will go after them
and put them on the right path.
I am sure most of you here frequent
Wilderssecurity & or DSLreports.
con
Score: 0
|