Botnets

Botnets are a group of interconnected devices on the internet which perform co-ordinated tasks. The word botnet comes from robot and network. Some of the botnets may be good, others may be malicious. The botnets are controlled by a bot master that controls individual computers which are called zombies. The bot master controls and sends the commands for execution to the zombies.

The intention of the bot master is to gain access to other devices available on the internet and make it a part of the botnet to carry out malicious activities. The master may use the botnet for DDoS attacks, send spam emails, generate fake internet traffic, generate pop-up ads and ask to pay-up to remove malware.

In order to prevent a system to be acquired by a malicious botnet, it is important to use an internet security suite which can detect and quarantine malware. Also, keep the operating system up-to-date, use firewall while browsing the internet and do not download attachments from unknown sources.