Sophos has announced a new alert service that identifies `zombie` computers on an organisation`s network. Zombie computers are infected machines that give control to unauthorised and remote users, allowing them to send spam from the computer or to auto-launch e-mail-based denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
SophosLabs, Sophos`s global network of virus and spam analysis centres, estimates that more than 50% of all spam today originates from zombie computers. In May, the Sober-Q Trojan horse and Sober-N worm worked in tandem to infect and hijack computers around the world, programming them to spew out German nationalistic spam during an election. "As spammers become more aggressive - collaborating with virus writers to create armies of zombie computers - legitimate organisations with hijacked computers are being identified as a source of spam. This not only harms the organisation`s reputation, but can also cause the company`s e-mail to be blocked by others," says Brett Myroff, CEO of local Sophos distributor, NetXactics.
ZombieAlert, the new service from Sophos, advises service subscribers when a computer on their network is found to have sent spam to Sophos`s extensive global network of spam traps, and provides rapid notification to customers if their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are listed in public Domain Name Server Blackhole Lists (DNSBL). This information helps customers locate, disinfect and protect these systems from future attacks.
"Aside from consumers, organisations such as educational institutions and governments probably face the greatest risk of becoming part of a zombie computer network because they have both remote and home users," says Myroff.
"ZombieAlert never sleeps, providing round-the-clock surveillance of spam distribution across the Internet, and determining its origin."
For Internet service providers (ISPs), the problem becomes critical as consumers are also prominent targets. This service will enable ISPs to identify and alert consumers to the threat.
"Sophos`s threat analysis centres are ideally positioned to advise on new and emerging threats, such as compromised computers that spew spam," Myroff says. "Once compromised computers have been identified by the service, we can help affected users remedy the situation, clean-up their systems and fortify their defences against future attack.
"Sophos is the first vendor we know of to offer an on-the-fly alert service that advises organisations that they are hosting zombies," says David Ferris of Ferris Research. "This service is unique and very timely. I would anticipate that competitors would soon follow suit."
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NetXactics is a South African-based company, focused on the provision of security solutions. It is the sole distributor in Sub-Saharan Africa for UK-based Sophos Plc, one of the leaders in the provision of anti-virus and anti-spam software for the corporate environment.
For more information please visit NetXactics at www.netxactics.co.za.
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