| Are Viruses, Spyware, Trojans, and Hackers | | | | year-old high schooler who was arrested as a child |
| Hiding in Your Software? | | | | pornographer after his pc was hijacked and used |
| Spyware, Keyloggers, Hackers, Cyber Terrorists, | | | | to distribute child pornography. Click this link: ABC |
| Cybercriminals, Cybergangs, etc. These threats | | | | News' 20/20 video. |
| are real and the fact is your computer is most | | | | Hackers are very good at hiding behind their |
| likely infected already! Cybercrime is on the rise. | | | | slave or zombie computers. A hijacked computer |
| You may not be the only one using your | | | | is a hacker's protection of anonymity. As |
| computer. Hackers may be using your computers | | | | unbelievable as it may seem, hijacked computers, |
| and you may not even know it. Would you ever | | | | zombie computers actually have a street market |
| know it if your computer were taken over and | | | | value in the hacker community. The better the |
| being used by a hacker? Not likely. When a hacker | | | | computer and the faster the Internet connection |
| hijacks a computer, the victim rarely knows. A | | | | of the slave machine, and the bigger the hard |
| computer that has been hijacked is one that is | | | | drive, the more it is worth on the market. Zombie |
| completely taken over by a hacker, or a group of | | | | computers are often leased out by hackers to |
| hackers, to be used for their own purposes. The | | | | other hackers, or even to organized crime groups, |
| idea is that the real owner of the computer never | | | | to be used for illegal purposes - without the |
| knows their system has been hijacked, so the | | | | computer owner's knowledge. If a hacker or a |
| hackers can secretly use it whenever and | | | | cybergang can take over a hundred or a |
| however they want. | | | | thousand computers, they have an army of |
| One of the latest hacking trends is called | | | | computers at their disposal. |
| "Drive-by Hacking". Popular wireless Internet | | | | Here are some facts: |
| access points have now become a major target | | | | * If your computer has become a "zombie" or a |
| for hackers. Hackers simply take their laptop | | | | "slave" to a hacker, the use of your computer |
| computers in their cars and drive through business | | | | could be for sale somewhere on the Internet or |
| parks or residential neighborhoods remotely | | | | an auction website. Your computer's power is |
| scanning for open wireless networks. This is the | | | | valuable to hackers. |
| latest version of the drive-by garage door | | | | * Today, there are organizations that claim |
| remote theft where criminal would use universal | | | | "ownership" of more than 450,000 zombie |
| remote controls to open garage doors without | | | | computers around the world that they use to |
| arousing the suspicions of neighbors, police, or | | | | anonymously send spam. |
| home security companies. | | | | The best defenses are a combination of |
| Today millions of businesses and homes have | | | | education and managed protection service. |
| implemented wireless networks for their | | | | Off-the-shelve individual or combined |
| convenience, and, sadly, for the convenience of | | | | anti-spyware, antivirus, and anti-spam software |
| the cybercriminals. And they don't even have to | | | | programs may not be sufficient protection, |
| open your garage door to enter your home or | | | | because hackers seem to stay one step of these |
| business. | | | | programs. The popular off-the-shelf products |
| Now hackers can simply pull up outside, up to | | | | offer you no personalized support. If you want |
| 600 feet away, and gain access to the network, | | | | help, you'll pay for it over and over again! If you |
| the Internet, and every computer on the | | | | need a virus removed with these cheap |
| network. This kind of hacking has become so | | | | programs, you'll pay for it. You may get technical |
| popular that you can even find public websites | | | | support from your PC manufacturer for security |
| around the globe that sell maps to all the known | | | | problems, but in most cases, you probably will not. |
| "open" wireless networks. | | | | Even if you do, it will likely be for a fee, and one |
| Once your computer has been hijacked, the | | | | that repeats itself should you need additional help |
| hacker claims ownership of your computer and | | | | down the road. |
| there is little you can do unless you protect your | | | | Because hackers will likely always be one step |
| computer in advance against this threat. In fact, in | | | | ahead of the security industry itself, |
| many cases when hackers have taken over a | | | | software-based protection alone is not enough. |
| computer, they will even "heal" the computer by | | | | 85% of current anti-virus users have been |
| closing the security holes, so no other hacker can | | | | infected with a virus or worm! Have you ever |
| break into the computer and use it too. (Can you | | | | had a virus you couldn't get rid of? Has your |
| imagine? Criminals protect their hijacked | | | | computer acted funny or has it slowed way |
| computers from other criminals.) | | | | down due to a massive spyware infestation? |
| Computers that have been hijacked and are | | | | Does your computer have a virus, spyware, |
| under the control of a hacker are known as | | | | malware, or hacker hiding inside? Test it now to |
| "zombies". Some of the more popular uses for a | | | | be sure. Go to to take a free Internet security |
| zombie computer include using it to send spam | | | | audit to determine which trojans and hacker |
| emails, distribute pornography, download illegal | | | | spyware tools might be infecting your computers. |
| copies of software, and to anonymously attack | | | | To protect yourself, you need an Internet |
| another computer, a business, a website, or even | | | | security team of experts making sure that you, |
| a government agency. | | | | your family, and your business computer are |
| There have been many cases in the U.S. and | | | | always safe and secure. The best protection you |
| around the world where a business or home | | | | can have in today's rapidly changing world of |
| computer has been hijacked and used for illegal | | | | cyber-attacks is to have expert support for all |
| purposes without the computer owner's | | | | your Internet security needs that will provide |
| knowledge. These victims have had their | | | | technical support without any hassles and without |
| computers used to distribute child pornography, | | | | charging you extra fees. It will become even |
| deface websites, and even hack into government | | | | more critical than it is today as time goes on. You |
| computers. In many cases, the owner of the | | | | need to find your own personal team of experts |
| hijacked computer (the business owner or the | | | | to rely on. If you ever have a security problem, |
| homeowner) has been arrested and hauled off to | | | | you will want to have a trusted expert you can |
| jail, only to be humiliated, demoralized and even | | | | call for professional help, without any hassles and |
| convicted for crimes they didn't commit. | | | | extra costs! |
| See ABC's 20/02 video about an unsuspected 16 | | | | |