Yesterday the White House hosted a meeting of government officials and corporate honchos to discuss a very serious problem. World peace? The economy? No, they met to discuss botnets.
What is a botnet? Here’s how the Industry Botnet Group, a voluntary group of companies, trade associations and non-profit organizations, describes the term:
Botnets are networks of personal computers infected by malware and remote controlled by criminals. Botnets are used to send junk email (spam), attack websites, and distribute more malware, among other things.
The malware used by botnets can infect your computer, turning it into a “bot” or “zombie,” meaning your computer can become part of the botnet and help criminals do their dirty work.
Zombies! No wonder the White House is paying attention. Seriously, the phenomenon puts consumers, organizations and the government at risk. That’s why the Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce are working with the Industry Botnet Group to address the risk. Read (or listen to) more about it in this Marketplace Tech Report. Or watch this video explaining the new anti-botnet initiatives, posted by the White House yesterday.
