The second is where hackers use a PC as a drone. They want to use you as a hop point to mask other activities that they do on the Internet, says Rolls. In short, your computer s address is what the FBI finds when they re back-tracking a hack attack. Computers which have been taken over by hackers are known as zombies. They re typically used in attacks known as denial of service, where major Web sites are inundated by bogus information requests, thus preventing them from answering legitimate queries.
Any unprotected computer can become a zombie.
The only way to stop the attack was to clear the server s pending mail file. Zombie takeovers start with hackers scanning their local networks. They re looking for computers on the system that lack password protection. This is akin to leaving your back door unlocked in New York City. Someday, sometime, someone s going to test the latch, find it open, and then come in to do what they will.