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