Dell SecureWorks' Tips on Preventing Botnets from Attacking Your Computer

Online, July 23, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Dell SecureWorks, a leading global information security company and an expert in botnets, wants to inform the public about cyber threats, such as botnets, that are actively stealing users' financial and personal data. Even more importantly, SecureWorks wants to outline the steps needed to avoid becoming a victim of cyber crime. Malware (malicious software) is rampant throughout the Internet and can cause damage to desktops, laptops, network servers and gaming systems. In April 2011, Sony Playstation encountered a massive breach of their gaming network, which infected over 77 million user accounts.

A botnet is a network of infected computers, used by criminals to steal money, personal identities and intellectual property. Botnets are also used to launch DDoS attacks (distributed denial of service attacks), send out spam, harvest stored email addresses and commit a myriad of other malicious activities. If your computer is infected by malware and becomes part of a botnet, it can be described as a "zombie computer," which is then controlled by a host or "botnet-operator". Most of the time, the computer owner has no idea that his device has been compromised.

Historically, computer users have been infected with malware via malicious websites and links and attachments inserted into emails. As of late, one of the most successful distribution methods has been the insertion of malicious links in everything from tweets to facebook updates, etc.

A stat from Daily Botnet Statistics shows that the number of computer users receiving spam is on the rise every day. China is at the top of the suspected botnet IP address list, and the United States is in fourth place. Because we are currently seeing more botnets coming out of China, it is prudent for organizations to determine if they should block any IP addresses out of the Chinese IP space from communicating with their users.

Dell SecureWorks recommends that organizations implement botnet protection tools such as anti-virus software, firewalls and NIPS (Network Intrusion Detection and Prevention Solutions) as a first line of defense against botnet attacks. To add another level of security for botnet detection, Dell SecureWorks recommends that HIPS (Host-Based Intrusion Prevention Systems) be implemented. HIPS serve as a secondary layer of protection, helping an organization catch attacks which might have slipped past NIPS, firewalls and antivirus.