The next level of security threat: Botnets

We all are aware of the malicious softwares and viruses that affect our personal computers and servers and which are designed to destroy our important data and personal files. Of course, we have the top of the line anti-virus softwares installed to combat such nuisances, but are they enough? Are you sure there are no botnets on your network or your computer?

Now, you must be wondering what in the world are botnets. Well, in simple terms they are a kind of software robots that run automatically inside our systems and they spread quickly using the distributed computing software that we have installed. In other words, these botnets use our installed systems against us.

The originators of such botnets can handle a group of botnets inside our computer through their server which is also known as command and control server. These botnets are very much similar like self-propagating worms but they are not noisy like them. Botnets have pre-programmed logic and propagation techniques which mean that they can quickly adapt and change to find themselves within a specified networked environment.

To make it more complicated, these botnets are programmed to retrieve the authentication details and configuration information of the user. Once those credentials are stolen and passed on to the originator, these botnets can re-infect the host even if the entire network has been rebuilt and patched. Many advanced botnets have their own morphing code to disguise themselves as system files when anti-virus softwares are executed to find such a threat.

Today, many organizations are not aware of the threat of a botnets operating in their network systems, but gradually many organizations are working to save their valuable data against such kind of threat that can have disastrous consequences for their business.