In a report analyzing the current state of spam distribution worldwide, security firm Sophos has identified at least one “zombie” computer with an IP address located at the Vatican.
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| Source: Security Labs |
A zombie is a term used to describe computers that have been fully compromised by hackers. These machines can be commanded to perform tasks such as sending spam or participating in denial-of-service attacks without the user’s knowledge.
Multiple zombie computers can form a network known as a botnet, which is responsible for disseminating the majority of spam. Typically, hackers employ Trojan programs, worms, and viruses to infiltrate users’ computers, gradually taking control of the system.
The spam distributed by these botnet networks often originates from legitimate IP addresses, making it difficult for filters to detect.
According to Sophos’ report, the United States continues to hold the title of “Spam King,” accounting for 23.2% of the total spam globally. The runner-up is none other than China (including Hong Kong) and South Korea, due to the high number of broadband users in this Northeast Asian country.
The report’s author, Graham Cluley, warns that the situation will not improve as long as home Internet users do not take action to protect their computers.
Meanwhile, observers argue that part of the blame lies with the security industry itself. Why is that? For instance, the latest antivirus version from F-Secure has been found to be incompatible with the ZoneAlarm firewall, forcing users to switch to the Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP SP2.
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