quote:

---

One of the world's leading Internet security firms expects a spike in criminal activity involving zombie computers in the next six to 18 months.

Vulnerabilities in Microsoft's popular media player and a component of Mozilla's Firefox web browser left users vulnerable to malicious code from dubious web sites until the companies released patches to close the loopholes.

Dean Turner, executive editor of Symantec Corp.'s Internet security threat report, says there's no evidence hackers have exploited these openings yet to insert viruses that draft unprotected computers into so-called bot nets.

But they're examples of a trend by hackers to use vulnerabilities in web applications to attack computers without having to rely on someone to open an infected e-mail.

Bot nets are armies of computers, sometimes numbering in the thousands, that can be used for sending spam and spyware, fishing for confidential financial information and even mounting mass attacks on corporate or government networks.

They're highly prized in the cyber underworld, sometimes rented out by their operators to criminal gangs to commit fraud and theft.

The media player and Mozilla problems are examples of how new vulnerabilities can have potential consequences in a cyber world increasingly stalked by sophisticated criminals, says Turner.

"Right now that's the future of these sorts of attacks," he says.

---

[ 07 March 2006: Message edited by: Hephaestion ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hephaestion:
In our cities. In our offices and homes. In Canada. And we're not making this up.

[ 07 March 2006: Message edited by: Hephaestion ]

---

This is nothing new, really. It's already going on. I think it was the NY Times that had an article on a young man who made a living installing adware on computers--the affiliate companies paid him a fee for each one. If memory serves, I believe he made on the order of $80,000 per year doing this.

The real problem here is that computers are shipped with vulnerabilites--i.e. too many services turned on, poor or non-existent firewalls, etc. This doesn't even take into account viruses, trojans and the like. People just do not want to learn how to harden their computers--I've lost count of the number of virus/trojan horse infestations I've cleaned up--people just either can't or won't follow instructions to keep their software updated at least weekly and/or follow safe computing practices.

My understanding is that even the next version of Windows slated for introduction later this year will still be vulnerable to viruses--I have read of 'proof of concept' viruses already extant for Vista.

quote:

---

Why Microsoft has not literally been sued out of existence for pushing such shoddy software is beyond me.

---

Who benefits? A question we must always ask. Those one who install our updates also have the new and improved OS they would like us to buy.

The virus manufacturer to Microsoft Inc. and Symantec, is as the miscreant youth with a slingshot is to the glass industry.

quote:

---

Originally posted by vorlon:
People just do not want to learn how to harden their computers--I've lost count of the number of virus/trojan horse infestations I've cleaned up--people just either can't or won't follow instructions to keep their software updated at least weekly and/or follow safe computing practices.

---

Or lock their cars, or change the code on their garage door opener, etc. All that stuff is against human nature.

Symantic would be out of business without the virus/worm makers.

quote:

---

Microsoft knows very well who its customers are. Most of its income comes from mega sales; the home user is truly small potatoes.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by skeptikool:
I take issue with that!

---