It may seem like a title from the scary movies of years ago to warn "Beware of the Zombies," but it's actually a precaution from the latest Internet episodes.

Hundreds of thousands of computers around the world have been infected by viruses or worms that have made them "zombies" - captive machines that can be made to do the bidding of some remote controller. They are being used to generate millions of unsolicited bulk e-mail message - spam.

One computer user, The Associated Press reported, found that five or six spammers had invaded his machine and were using it and its cable modem to send solicitations for sexual enhancement products and cell phone boosters.

Experts say this is changing the virus environment. Once such pests were created mostly to impress other virus-writers. But with the addition of spam generators, there is an economic motive.

The shift led the Federal Trade Commission to urge home users to maintain firewalls, keep anti-virus programs up to date and promptly install any Microsoft patches. More spam now is coming from American computers than from remote overseas points which once were most vulnerable. Now it's high-speed home connections in the United States which are being exploited.

Source:  SecureAgent Software's Secure eNewsletter - Volume 187