Botnets: The Stealthy Online Threat

BOTNETS: THE STEALTHY ONLINE THREAT Complaints about Internet criminal activity dropped 10 percent last year, even as the number of computers hijacked by botnets shot up more than 600 percent. Computer users may be getting savvier, but online criminals are finding new methods of attack. BOTNET BREAKDOWN 88% of all spam is sent of Fortune 1000 organizations There are approximately 5 million 50% were compromised by the data stealing botnet, Mariposa. from botnets. spam-sending botnets worldwide. On average in 2010, a bot (compromised computer) in a botnet sent out 77 spam emails per minute. In some botnets that number was over 200 per minute. BOTNET ANATOMY A bot is malicious software that enables cybercriminals to control your computer. These criminals often called bot herders use Command-and-Control (C&C) servers to remotely takeover your computer and execute illegal activities. BOTNET HERDER C&C SERVER BOTNET ACTIVITIES SEND OUT SPAM EMAIL SPREAD VIRUSES ATTACK COMPUTERS DISTRIBUTE MALICIOUS COMMIT BANKING MESSAGES AND SERVERS SOFTWARE CREDENTIAL THEFT OR OTHER FINANCIAL FRAUD THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE BOTNETS Though there is a great range of different-sized botnets, here are six of the world's largest. By the number of spam emails sent per day: Interesting example of a common botnet: 13.8 Billion ZEUS-BASED 8.3 BOTNETS Billion As the most easily accessible botnet DIY 4.2 construction kit, Zeus-based botnets are used Billion 2.2 2.0 for a variety of crimes ranging from banking Billion Billion 1.6 credential theft to back-dooring new equipment Billion and long-term infiltration of industrial systems. Rustock Bagle Festi Cutwail Lethic Grum PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR FIGHTING OFF BOTNETS Take these simple steps to keep your computer safe. Run Anti-spyware and anti-virus software. 6 TIPS FOR Keep your computer's software updated to the latest version. BUSINESSES & Use an Internet firewall. CONSUMERS 4 Create strong passwords. Use common sense when deciding to open attachments or clicking on links in emails and social networking sites. Businesses should take a multi-layered approach to preventing botnets, with protections such as: Firewall, Intrusion Prevention, Anti-Malware and Anti-Bot Protection. 6 O Check Point SOURCES: CHECKPOINT.COM, NEWS.CNET.COM, MSNBC.MSN.COM,NORMAN.COM, MICROSOFT.COM, NETWORKWORLD.COM, THE REGISTER SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. We Secure the Internet. BOTNETS: THE STEALTHY ONLINE THREAT Complaints about Internet criminal activity dropped 10 percent last year, even as the number of computers hijacked by botnets shot up more than 600 percent. Computer users may be getting savvier, but online criminals are finding new methods of attack. BOTNET BREAKDOWN 88% of all spam is sent of Fortune 1000 organizations There are approximately 5 million 50% were compromised by the data stealing botnet, Mariposa. from botnets. spam-sending botnets worldwide. On average in 2010, a bot (compromised computer) in a botnet sent out 77 spam emails per minute. In some botnets that number was over 200 per minute. BOTNET ANATOMY A bot is malicious software that enables cybercriminals to control your computer. These criminals often called bot herders use Command-and-Control (C&C) servers to remotely takeover your computer and execute illegal activities. BOTNET HERDER C&C SERVER BOTNET ACTIVITIES SEND OUT SPAM EMAIL SPREAD VIRUSES ATTACK COMPUTERS DISTRIBUTE MALICIOUS COMMIT BANKING MESSAGES AND SERVERS SOFTWARE CREDENTIAL THEFT OR OTHER FINANCIAL FRAUD THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE BOTNETS Though there is a great range of different-sized botnets, here are six of the world's largest. By the number of spam emails sent per day: Interesting example of a common botnet: 13.8 Billion ZEUS-BASED 8.3 BOTNETS Billion As the most easily accessible botnet DIY 4.2 construction kit, Zeus-based botnets are used Billion 2.2 2.0 for a variety of crimes ranging from banking Billion Billion 1.6 credential theft to back-dooring new equipment Billion and long-term infiltration of industrial systems. Rustock Bagle Festi Cutwail Lethic Grum PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR FIGHTING OFF BOTNETS Take these simple steps to keep your computer safe. Run Anti-spyware and anti-virus software. 6 TIPS FOR Keep your computer's software updated to the latest version. BUSINESSES & Use an Internet firewall. CONSUMERS 4 Create strong passwords. Use common sense when deciding to open attachments or clicking on links in emails and social networking sites. Businesses should take a multi-layered approach to preventing botnets, with protections such as: Firewall, Intrusion Prevention, Anti-Malware and Anti-Bot Protection. 6 O Check Point SOURCES: CHECKPOINT.COM, NEWS.CNET.COM, MSNBC.MSN.COM,NORMAN.COM, MICROSOFT.COM, NETWORKWORLD.COM, THE REGISTER SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. We Secure the Internet. BOTNETS: THE STEALTHY ONLINE THREAT Complaints about Internet criminal activity dropped 10 percent last year, even as the number of computers hijacked by botnets shot up more than 600 percent. Computer users may be getting savvier, but online criminals are finding new methods of attack. BOTNET BREAKDOWN 88% of all spam is sent of Fortune 1000 organizations There are approximately 5 million 50% were compromised by the data stealing botnet, Mariposa. from botnets. spam-sending botnets worldwide. On average in 2010, a bot (compromised computer) in a botnet sent out 77 spam emails per minute. In some botnets that number was over 200 per minute. BOTNET ANATOMY A bot is malicious software that enables cybercriminals to control your computer. These criminals often called bot herders use Command-and-Control (C&C) servers to remotely takeover your computer and execute illegal activities. BOTNET HERDER C&C SERVER BOTNET ACTIVITIES SEND OUT SPAM EMAIL SPREAD VIRUSES ATTACK COMPUTERS DISTRIBUTE MALICIOUS COMMIT BANKING MESSAGES AND SERVERS SOFTWARE CREDENTIAL THEFT OR OTHER FINANCIAL FRAUD THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE BOTNETS Though there is a great range of different-sized botnets, here are six of the world's largest. By the number of spam emails sent per day: Interesting example of a common botnet: 13.8 Billion ZEUS-BASED 8.3 BOTNETS Billion As the most easily accessible botnet DIY 4.2 construction kit, Zeus-based botnets are used Billion 2.2 2.0 for a variety of crimes ranging from banking Billion Billion 1.6 credential theft to back-dooring new equipment Billion and long-term infiltration of industrial systems. Rustock Bagle Festi Cutwail Lethic Grum PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR FIGHTING OFF BOTNETS Take these simple steps to keep your computer safe. Run Anti-spyware and anti-virus software. 6 TIPS FOR Keep your computer's software updated to the latest version. BUSINESSES & Use an Internet firewall. CONSUMERS 4 Create strong passwords. Use common sense when deciding to open attachments or clicking on links in emails and social networking sites. Businesses should take a multi-layered approach to preventing botnets, with protections such as: Firewall, Intrusion Prevention, Anti-Malware and Anti-Bot Protection. 6 O Check Point SOURCES: CHECKPOINT.COM, NEWS.CNET.COM, MSNBC.MSN.COM,NORMAN.COM, MICROSOFT.COM, NETWORKWORLD.COM, THE REGISTER SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. We Secure the Internet. BOTNETS: THE STEALTHY ONLINE THREAT Complaints about Internet criminal activity dropped 10 percent last year, even as the number of computers hijacked by botnets shot up more than 600 percent. Computer users may be getting savvier, but online criminals are finding new methods of attack. BOTNET BREAKDOWN 88% of all spam is sent of Fortune 1000 organizations There are approximately 5 million 50% were compromised by the data stealing botnet, Mariposa. from botnets. spam-sending botnets worldwide. On average in 2010, a bot (compromised computer) in a botnet sent out 77 spam emails per minute. In some botnets that number was over 200 per minute. BOTNET ANATOMY A bot is malicious software that enables cybercriminals to control your computer. These criminals often called bot herders use Command-and-Control (C&C) servers to remotely takeover your computer and execute illegal activities. BOTNET HERDER C&C SERVER BOTNET ACTIVITIES SEND OUT SPAM EMAIL SPREAD VIRUSES ATTACK COMPUTERS DISTRIBUTE MALICIOUS COMMIT BANKING MESSAGES AND SERVERS SOFTWARE CREDENTIAL THEFT OR OTHER FINANCIAL FRAUD THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE BOTNETS Though there is a great range of different-sized botnets, here are six of the world's largest. By the number of spam emails sent per day: Interesting example of a common botnet: 13.8 Billion ZEUS-BASED 8.3 BOTNETS Billion As the most easily accessible botnet DIY 4.2 construction kit, Zeus-based botnets are used Billion 2.2 2.0 for a variety of crimes ranging from banking Billion Billion 1.6 credential theft to back-dooring new equipment Billion and long-term infiltration of industrial systems. Rustock Bagle Festi Cutwail Lethic Grum PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR FIGHTING OFF BOTNETS Take these simple steps to keep your computer safe. Run Anti-spyware and anti-virus software. 6 TIPS FOR Keep your computer's software updated to the latest version. BUSINESSES & Use an Internet firewall. CONSUMERS 4 Create strong passwords. Use common sense when deciding to open attachments or clicking on links in emails and social networking sites. Businesses should take a multi-layered approach to preventing botnets, with protections such as: Firewall, Intrusion Prevention, Anti-Malware and Anti-Bot Protection. 6 O Check Point SOURCES: CHECKPOINT.COM, NEWS.CNET.COM, MSNBC.MSN.COM,NORMAN.COM, MICROSOFT.COM, NETWORKWORLD.COM, THE REGISTER SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. We Secure the Internet. BOTNETS: THE STEALTHY ONLINE THREAT Complaints about Internet criminal activity dropped 10 percent last year, even as the number of computers hijacked by botnets shot up more than 600 percent. Computer users may be getting savvier, but online criminals are finding new methods of attack. BOTNET BREAKDOWN 88% of all spam is sent of Fortune 1000 organizations There are approximately 5 million 50% were compromised by the data stealing botnet, Mariposa. from botnets. spam-sending botnets worldwide. On average in 2010, a bot (compromised computer) in a botnet sent out 77 spam emails per minute. In some botnets that number was over 200 per minute. BOTNET ANATOMY A bot is malicious software that enables cybercriminals to control your computer. These criminals often called bot herders use Command-and-Control (C&C) servers to remotely takeover your computer and execute illegal activities. BOTNET HERDER C&C SERVER BOTNET ACTIVITIES SEND OUT SPAM EMAIL SPREAD VIRUSES ATTACK COMPUTERS DISTRIBUTE MALICIOUS COMMIT BANKING MESSAGES AND SERVERS SOFTWARE CREDENTIAL THEFT OR OTHER FINANCIAL FRAUD THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE BOTNETS Though there is a great range of different-sized botnets, here are six of the world's largest. By the number of spam emails sent per day: Interesting example of a common botnet: 13.8 Billion ZEUS-BASED 8.3 BOTNETS Billion As the most easily accessible botnet DIY 4.2 construction kit, Zeus-based botnets are used Billion 2.2 2.0 for a variety of crimes ranging from banking Billion Billion 1.6 credential theft to back-dooring new equipment Billion and long-term infiltration of industrial systems. Rustock Bagle Festi Cutwail Lethic Grum PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR FIGHTING OFF BOTNETS Take these simple steps to keep your computer safe. Run Anti-spyware and anti-virus software. 6 TIPS FOR Keep your computer's software updated to the latest version. BUSINESSES & Use an Internet firewall. CONSUMERS 4 Create strong passwords. Use common sense when deciding to open attachments or clicking on links in emails and social networking sites. Businesses should take a multi-layered approach to preventing botnets, with protections such as: Firewall, Intrusion Prevention, Anti-Malware and Anti-Bot Protection. 6 O Check Point SOURCES: CHECKPOINT.COM, NEWS.CNET.COM, MSNBC.MSN.COM,NORMAN.COM, MICROSOFT.COM, NETWORKWORLD.COM, THE REGISTER SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. We Secure the Internet. BOTNETS: THE STEALTHY ONLINE THREAT Complaints about Internet criminal activity dropped 10 percent last year, even as the number of computers hijacked by botnets shot up more than 600 percent. Computer users may be getting savvier, but online criminals are finding new methods of attack. BOTNET BREAKDOWN 88% of all spam is sent of Fortune 1000 organizations There are approximately 5 million 50% were compromised by the data stealing botnet, Mariposa. from botnets. spam-sending botnets worldwide. On average in 2010, a bot (compromised computer) in a botnet sent out 77 spam emails per minute. In some botnets that number was over 200 per minute. BOTNET ANATOMY A bot is malicious software that enables cybercriminals to control your computer. These criminals often called bot herders use Command-and-Control (C&C) servers to remotely takeover your computer and execute illegal activities. BOTNET HERDER C&C SERVER BOTNET ACTIVITIES SEND OUT SPAM EMAIL SPREAD VIRUSES ATTACK COMPUTERS DISTRIBUTE MALICIOUS COMMIT BANKING MESSAGES AND SERVERS SOFTWARE CREDENTIAL THEFT OR OTHER FINANCIAL FRAUD THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE BOTNETS Though there is a great range of different-sized botnets, here are six of the world's largest. By the number of spam emails sent per day: Interesting example of a common botnet: 13.8 Billion ZEUS-BASED 8.3 BOTNETS Billion As the most easily accessible botnet DIY 4.2 construction kit, Zeus-based botnets are used Billion 2.2 2.0 for a variety of crimes ranging from banking Billion Billion 1.6 credential theft to back-dooring new equipment Billion and long-term infiltration of industrial systems. Rustock Bagle Festi Cutwail Lethic Grum PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR FIGHTING OFF BOTNETS Take these simple steps to keep your computer safe. Run Anti-spyware and anti-virus software. 6 TIPS FOR Keep your computer's software updated to the latest version. BUSINESSES & Use an Internet firewall. CONSUMERS 4 Create strong passwords. Use common sense when deciding to open attachments or clicking on links in emails and social networking sites. Businesses should take a multi-layered approach to preventing botnets, with protections such as: Firewall, Intrusion Prevention, Anti-Malware and Anti-Bot Protection. 6 O Check Point SOURCES: CHECKPOINT.COM, NEWS.CNET.COM, MSNBC.MSN.COM,NORMAN.COM, MICROSOFT.COM, NETWORKWORLD.COM, THE REGISTER SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD. We Secure the Internet.