The Internet has become an integral part of business in the 21st century, spawning an era of globalisation. However, amidst the advantages, the Internet can also be likened to a key that opens the Pandora`s box of security risks, creating vulnerabilities which viruses and hackers can exploit. Zombie agents have become a growing concern for McAfee as they are responsible for potential computer hi-jacking and attacks on Internet locations. This has resulted in McAfee`s Zombie Initiative, which positions McAfee squarely as the leader in preventing Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) zombie attacks.
"There are large numbers of zombie agents, affecting systems worldwide, and these threats are on the increase," according to Christopher Bray, newly appointed country manager of McAfee in South Africa, a business unit of Network Associates.
"Zombie agents, like the one installed by Code Red," he explains, "infiltrate multiple machines and are programmed to attack one or more Internet locations, or release a payload, on a specific date and time.
"Hackers and virus writers can use these zombies to completely take over a user`s machine, creating a security vulnerability in which a hacker could steal data, obtain passwords or even get past the desktop to gain access to the corporate network. Zombie agents threaten the viability of the Internet as a commercial platform."
To enhance its provision of corporate protection against malicious code, McAfee has launched an initiative that integrates product enhancements, research focus and industry alliances to significantly reduce the threat. Research is a key part of this initiative, Bray says. Resources from the Anti-Virus Emergency Response Team (AVERT), Network Associates` anti-virus research organisation, are being focused on research into current and emerging zombie agents and their unique behaviour.
"This will enable McAfee to identify new zombie agents and deliver the fix to our customers in the shortest possible time."
"While Code Red woke the world up to the potential impact of Zombie-like agents, our team of researchers at AVERT have continued to diligently examine the greater effects of such an attack," says Vincent Gullotto, senior director, McAfee AVERT. "AVERT`s increased research efforts in DDoS vulnerabilities will support the newly developed anti-virus products from McAfee that scan Internet traffic at the gateway, enabling customers to detect the presence of Zombies within their network."
According to recent AVERT research, there are tens of thousands of Zombies that have affected or are currently affecting systems worldwide. AVERT expects the number of Zombies to grow, adding to the more than 58 000 viruses in existence today that McAfee products detect.
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