Zombie computers are certainly not the zombies that you see in movies. These computers are the ones that have been attacked by online criminals. Your computer too could be a zombie computer and you may not even come to know of it.
Zombie computers are used to attack other computers, send spams or malicious programs to other computers. Here is all that you wanted to know about Zombie computers.
What is a Zombie computer?
A Zombie computer is a computer that has been attached to the internet and is used for various purposes by a hacker. These computers could also be attacked by a computer virus or a Trojan horse. Online criminal or hackers use your internet address to perform malicious tasks. They turn your computer into a zombie. Your computer then becomes a part of a system of various zombies, also known as a botnet.
How does a Zombie computer work?
Crackers turn personal computers into zombies by exploiting weakness of the operating system or OS of the computer. For a hacker to infect your computer or control, he needs to get the installation program to your computer in the first place. While some hackers make use of e-mail to do this, there are some that do this through peer-to-peer networks or even through a regular website. The user of these computers unknowingly downloads this installation program that gives the user access to your computer and internet address.
How to know that my computer has been infected?
There are several signs that indicate that your computer has been infected. One of them is that your computer starts running slower than the usual or displays mysterious messages. Zombie computers also crash and then restart on their own after a few minutes. Distorted menus and dialog boxes, inaccessible disk drives are some other signs of an infected computer.
How can I prevent my computer from becoming a zombie?
There are various things that you can do to prevent your computer from becoming a zombie.
* Don't open an attachment in an e-mail or a mobile message until and unless you are sure of what is inside the attachment.
* An internet firewall can be a great way to protect your computer from hackers.
* Always keep your computers update. Switch on the automatic updates option so that you computer is always protected from hacker's attacks.
* Install antivirus software or antispy software will also help. Also ensure that these software are current and immune to the latest viruses.
* Always use licensed software products. Computers that use illegal copied versions of various software are the most susceptible to attacks.
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