Zombie computer definition
A zombie computer is an infected device controlled without its owners’ knowledge. Criminals can exploit the device’s processing power for their own needs (like mining cryptocurrencies) or add it to a botnet for coordinated attacks (like DDoS and spam campaigns).
Real zombie computer examples
2007: The Storm botnet (250,000-1,000,000 zombie computers) was available for hire on the dark web for various criminal activities.
2008: The Mariposa botnet (over 10,000,000 zombie computers) was used to steal credit card numbers and passwords from unsuspecting users.
Avoiding zombie infection
- Use a reputable antivirus and regularly update it.
- Don’t click suspicious links or attachments.
- Keep your OS up to date.
