“How low will spammers go? The latest findings of a Microsoft research project confirm that spammers are routinely hijacking PCs in order to use them as spam relays on a scale that is almost unimaginable,” Al Fasoldt writes for The Syracuse Post-Standard. “Microsoft monitored the activities of a standard Windows XP computer that had an always-on connection to the Internet. The PC was quickly taken over by zombies virus-like invaders sent out by spammers. Microsoft found that the zombies then contacted remote computers to inform them that the PC was available as a relay. Over a 20-day period that single PC received 5 million “pings,” or hits, from other PCs seeking to connect to it, Microsoft says.”
Fasoldt writes, “The company monitored outgoing traffic, too, and discovered that this single PC processed 18 million spam e-mails in that period. (Microsoft blocked all the spam the PC tried to send.)”
“Sophos, a security firm, estimates that half of all spam originates from zombie PCs. The amount of zombie-generated spam is estimated to be at least 15 billion pieces a day,” Fasoldt writes. “Zombies take advantage of lax security in Windows PCs by infecting PCs through malicious e-mail attachments and through direct attack across the Internet. After they burrow into the computer, each zombie sets up a slave server within the PC that receives instructions from its master computer. Each zombie server an infected PC can have many running at the same time can relay spam, viruses and spyware to other computers while the PC is unattended.”
In his full article, Fasoldt lists five ways to try to prevent your Windows PC from becoming a zombie. The first four deal with Windows, but Fasoldt’s fifth method is guaranteed to work: “Consider switching to an Apple Macintosh. Apple’s computers are not vulnerable to zombies.”
Full article here.
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MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft: can’t make a secure OS, but they’re excellent at spreading an OS that’s perfect for clogging up the Net for everybody – even those smart enough to avoid Microsoft products – with exceedingly massive traffic from millions of wtfpwned zombie Windows PCs. Ignorance combined with cheapness is a lethal mixture for Joe and Jane Sixpack – they don’t even realize that their shiny, new Windows box they “got such a great deal on over to the Wal-Mart” is already owned by someone else.
[UPDATE: 10:30am ET: added “the” before “Wal-Mart” as per Mr. Sixpack’s feedback below.]
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Windows switchers, now’s your chance: Apple Mac mini with Mac OS X Tiger for $379 – November 03, 2005
Computer columnist: anti-virus software purely optional for Apple Macs, not so for Windows – November 01, 2005
Millions of Windows PC’s hijacked by hackers, turned into zombies; Macintosh unaffected – September 08, 2004
Defending Windows over Mac a sign of mental illness – December 21, 2003
Actually, it’s “over to the Wal-Mark”…
I gave up email altogether. It wasn’t worth a crap for nothin’ anyways. heh. Come and get me, suckers. muahahaha.
Such a sad state of affairs.
At least I’ve converted one friend and he himself is convincing another to join the clan of Mac. However, I came across a really hard job trying to convince two of my uni mates. One was stubbornly pro-Microsoft, and well i guess since he has to manage and support Windows, he believes he needs the ‘troubleshooting’ skills at home to quickly fix problems at work. How sad… The other was just ignorant enough to say “Hmm.. Apple sounds good, but I’m just used to Windows so I dont think I’ll bother changing”. Man, I really wanted to smack him one!!! And to add icing to the cake, he says “If i come across any problems, then I can ask Alan (the Windows administrator) for some help!”
Sigh. Anyone else have any problems like this trying to convince others to join? Cos I’m getting fed up of receiving spam from these zombie PCs…. 🙁
my mom has PC crap. She just goes starts it up and connects to the internet, not knowing what’s out there. In 1 yr she could not use her computer because of all the crap that was on it. Why should she have to know about spy ware, zombie’s and security. Well she doesn’t. She’s getting a mini for christmas this year.
I was searching gmail for sent items and found I had been sending
spam. I checked the source and found it matched my machine’s IP and
MTA even though I rarely use Mac mail these days:
X-Gmail-Received: 577d5a5b8d095ed2c56826b07db34a8610c2a857
Delivered-To: tom.coady@gmail.com
Received: by 10.11.118.55 with SMTP id q55cs11874cwc;
Mon, 1 Aug 2005 03:19:27 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.54.45.14 with SMTP id s14mr2740332wrs;
Mon, 01 Aug 2005 03:19:26 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <tom.coady@gmail.com>
Received: from ?192.168.1.2? ([81.86.102.255])
by mx.gmail.com with ESMTP id 12sm5463072wrl.2005.08.01.03.19.26;
Mon, 01 Aug 2005 03:19:26 -0700 (PDT)
Resent-Message-Id: <491453931083.OQV42757@sandra.braydownhill.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Resent-Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2005 11:19:26 +0100
X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.733)
Resent-To: Tom Coady <tom.coady@gmail.com>
Subject: Investors Need To Know
Resent-From: Tom Coady <aovt15@dsl.pipex.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 15:37:20 +0100 (BST)
To:
From: Rhonda Hurt <tom.coady@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <42edf72e.6def61e0.2525.ffff9be3@mx.gmail.com>
“Anyone else have any problems like this trying to convince others to join?”
Your two “Uni-mates” (wait – what’s a uni-mate? Isn’t that the name of the big headed robot on the Jetsons?) are both pretty typical of those who won’t change…
I was a Windows admin. An MCSE for 8 years. I worked my way up to Network/IT Manager in 2000, but was laid off in 2002 due to overseas outsourcing, and since then have been struggling to make a good income out of computers. In the last few months, I took a part time hobby, web design, and have been making it into a career…
It’s been slow, mainly due to constraints of advertising and marketing, but it’s coming together slowly but surely. In March I bought my first Mac since my SE/30 died back in January ’94 (I’ll admit that even then, I didn’t use the Mac as much as my DOS PC, but that is because I was a CNE (Certified NetWare Engineer) back then. A couple weeks ago I ordered a Quad Power Mac, so you could say, I have gone full bore. I still have two fairly high level PCs in the House. One still runs Windows, but I only use it to test web designs in IE (which is where I have to be the most careful, even though I strictly validate my pages (btw the way, MDN has over 300 validation errors on each page – I knew it was a badly designed sie, but geez! See for yourself: http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://macdailynews.com/&charset;=(detect+automatically)&doctype=Inline)
So, as I was saying, since I bought the Mac, I have been raving about how trouble-free my life has become. Friends converted have mostly been those who don’t live near me, or were affected by my ecision to no longer help with Windows related problems. I simply cut them off, and stopped facilitating their habit. I’d done this before for anyone who has pirated software. That cut down 50% of my wasted time. In the last 9 months, about 5 of my friends have switched to Macs… Three bought Mac minis (two bought refurbs on my recommendation and saving over $100 didn’t hurt – I offered to upgrade the memory to 1GB for the cost of the memory stick, which was just about $100 for each). The other two bought an iMac. One is mad at me right now that I didn’t tell them about the new iMac with built-in iSight and Front Row, and I keep swearing I had no way of knowing! He’ll get over it… He was literally 3 days outside of Apple return for latest model program.
However, I still know about 20 people who stubbornly refuse to switch… Most are on limited incomes (I unfortunately live in an area populated by low-income, badly educated rednecks and white-trash, and many of my friends have simple-minded mentalities. Those who can afford $499 for a Mac mini seem to have the average excuse that Windows is “good enough,” though no longer having someone who will willingly support their technical problems for no charge has definitely hampered a couple of them! Others are PC Gamer (I don’t understand them – i find the Xbox and PS2 quite adequate for my gaming needs, and preferred them both before I switched to Mac too). But, the majority don’t believe me when I say “there are no viruses on Mac. There is no malware on Mac. There is no spyware on Mac.” They really, seriously believe that “it’s just a matter of time, and I will be screaming as much a they are. The only way I prve it to them is time… If I can show them I have none of those problems, when it comes time for them to upgrade or replace their PCs (everyone I know has 2-5 year old PCs… None of these people will likely be able ot use Vista, even if, in the unlikely circumstance that Microsoft actually gets it right the first time- I DO know better from 22 years of experience with Dos/Windows and other Microsoft software.
Sorry for the long post.
As a business owner that uses only Maintosh computers, my business is directly affected by Micosoft’s inability to fix their software – costing me time and money every time the internet is slowed or brought to its knees by a worm or virus and/or every spam email I receive due to all these zombie pc’s everywhere, etc..
While Windows users have no form of retribution due to the Micosoft EULA they agree to, I did not agree to anything. It would be superb if non-Windows users got together and filed a lawsuit against Micosoft for disrupting our lives as a result of their incompetence, and failure to secure their operating systems.
Probably never happen, but it would send a message to those idiots that we’re tired of being on the receiving end of their so called innovation.
GC:
Brilliant idea! Why couldn’t it happen? There must be enough Mac and Linux users who are willing to undertake such a lawsuit. And the publicity would bring home to thousands, maybe, millions of people just how toxic Windows really is.
MW: spring. Spring into action?
I have tried cutting off my windows using friends but haven’t been able to do it. At school I have a pretty constant stream of people asking me to help them with windows. Last year I spent 2 days getting a dell laptop on the school network when they hadded required anti virus software, all windows updates, and a back ground program to make sure you didn’t disable any of the mandated settings. ugh.
Everytime they bring a problem like that to me I try to say no but I feel bad and cave. If it is actually a proven tachnique to get stubborn friends to switch maybe I’ll renew my efforts at quitting.
Windows is like smoking, it’s better to never start.
It causes software cancer!
My dad still has a Micron laptop running Win2000. He’s connected to our Airport network, and he has to join the network every time he turns on his computer, but we’re still trying to get him a Powerbook.
GLOBALWIDE CLASS ACTION AGAINST MICROSOFT NOW!
Time it had the sh1t sued out of it…closed down, bankrupted, Directors jailed, you name it, they deserve it.
Rant over!
ERIC, email me about a web site design contract.
Gregg Thurman
How about I give you my email address. : )
gathurm@aol.com
MS PEECEES must have a mind numbing virus in them that infects the thinking process of the user. It is an extremely difficult talk sense to a windows wonder. All you get is a multitude of myths mouthed mindlessly.
I’m thinking of giving up my Mac crusade—especially when Apple doesn’t seem to want to advertise the strengths and safety of Macs.
Hi Eric,
Your story is very similar to mine (although I willingly gave up a job to move overseas, and wasn’t sacked, but my wife was effectively let go after her job was outsourced to India.)
Being overseas has meant I no longer have to support my family/friends bad PC habits, however new friends have unfortunately roped me into helping them out with their problems with their PCs. It’s hard to say no to girls for anything :=)
One of them WILL buy a Mac as her next computer, and is actually annoyed she didn’t know me at the time she bought her PC (a Sony Vaio laptop which is actually a very nice machine and if I bought a PC notebook (God forbid), I’d buy something similar.)
That said, I must give the “You’re on your own” approach a try.
My cousin bought a PC after I left for overseas (waited until I left the country I guess because he would have gotten an ear bashing, which would be continuing even now, some 12 months later.) His machine was infested within two weeks and my brother had to go and sort it out.
Recently my brother in-law also received a similar ear bashing (it’s so hard being so far away … I can’t thump them for their stupidity) when he purchased an ACER notbook (yea, I left out the e deliberately.)
Then there’s my father in-law who insists a machine must run AutoCad… problem is, he’s up to his third strike … he’s never installed AutoCad on the previous two computer’s he’s bought with my help(although I had only insisted on a Mac only the last time.)
I’m so over Windows, that’s all there is to say about that. Speaking of which, even Forrest Gump bought into Apple!! Just how stupid is everyone else?
[I’m thinking of giving up my Mac crusade]
Futile isn’t it?
99% of the Mac crowds’ attempts to reach the Windows crowd, WILL FAIL. They can’t or won’t hear us. Stop trying.
No acrimony. No hurt feelings. Just stop.
Don’t help solve ‘Windows’ problems, if you’re tired, busy or bored.
Don’t learn how to fix Windows to ‘be nice’. Their problems are theirs.
Don’t ‘solve’ their problems by ‘selling’ the MacWay.
Don’t debate the ‘merits’ of the Mac with antagonistic know-it-alls.
Apple/Steve wants the Mac to speak for itself. Maybe we should let it.
The ‘Mac community’ is slowly expanding, and we welcome newcomers. But, let them find us. Crusades tend to hurt people.
When an outsider asks questions, answer truthfully and quickly. No agendas. No sales pitches.
–
While a class action lawsuit against MS does seem like good childish fun, and as only the adults could see how this WOULD serve the ENTIRE computer using world, in a good way – my guess is this would backlash on the Mac and Linux world.
–
Anyway, I’m off to Brother’s site to thank them for supporting the Mac. I bought a HL2030 printer this weekend – had it up in 16 mins. A laser printer for a hundred bucks. If I have it for two years, I’ll be happy.
Windows is fine as long as you don’t use Microsoft applications in it. If you use Firefox and Thunderbird, you won’t have problems unless you go looking for stuff in dubious places on the internet.
I was using my Windows XP box for years without anitvirus software, and I finally acquired the latest Symantec antivirus crap. I updated it, ran it, and only found a trojan horse in some installer I had downloaded from a dubious location, which I never actually ran. It would be easy to make a trojan horse Mac program, since Mac users are already in the habbit of entering their administrator password every time they install software.
Mac OS X is the only way to browse the internet and use email with impunity, but Windows is just as safe if you don’t use Microsoft applications to do it.
Ron:
Please, the proper term is MS FeeCee’s. That’s because once you buy them, you keep paying fees – for anti-virus, for anti-spyware, etc.
Also they are piles of stinking fecal material, but that’s besides the point.
I agree with Ron. PC people stay loyal through such incredible crap. It’s like they enjoy pain and suffering. Some I talk to are so freakin’ blind and stubborn. Plus they they take out their frustration in denial mode, instead of getting mad at MS they make sarcastic remarks about Apple computers…go figure THAT logic.
Hi “notatotalsucker,” Max and Nick,
“notatotalsucker” – I totally feel for you, man… It doesn’t matter where we go, but we keep encountering people crying about PC problems… sorry, WINDOWS problems… Pretty girls I can understand saying “okay” to, but I’d still not make it too easy for them to rely on your if your not getting something in return… hint hint, nudge nudge… know what I mean? hehehe
Max,
I like your approach… It’s tough to say “no” to family, friends (and “pretty girls”), but we all must accept that preaching “Your windows computer sucks donkey nuts” will not help the “crusade.” It will only serve to support he idea that Macheads are drinking the Apple-flavoured cool aid in 55 gallon drums (I don’t recall where the “55-gallon drum” thing got in my head, but I picked it up reading online
somewhere).
Stop facilitating them… Force them to go to Best Buy’s Geek Squad (generally, they seem quite competent, – that’s not what will make Windows users give up – it’s the cost of paying the Geek Squad that will make Windows users start to open their eyes…
Nick,
I accept what your saying to be partly true… Don’t use IE, but it’s really difficult to trust ANY software on Windows… It’s Microsoft’s way of developing software, and worse, they way of only patching exploited vulnerabilities,, that Makes Windows so severely insecure… For years, I too never had the slightest problem with Windows, and could not, for the life of me understand why it seemed like everyone else did… Then II started to get the idea that it wasme… i was so knowledgable that I knew precisely what NOT to do, and did not do it, and that is wy I was safe. Take the knowledge factor out and act like an average computer user, and the problems appear left and right. The recent thing with Sony BMG DRM malware payload carrying CDs should explain this well enough…
As for Macs and trojans, you might be right… but the fact is, it can’t get on your Mac withut YOUR assistance… That is unavoidable, except to now type in admin passwords if you don’t know what you are installing…
Besides, 98% of Mac software does not need to be “installed.” You just copy the application package to your apps folder (it doesn’t even need to be there, per se) and use it… If you use it and it wants to do anything more than write a prefs file, the OS will ask you to enter your password… Just don’t do it unless you are sure what your doing first, and your safe. It can’t do anything to your computer if you say no. Sure, the app may crash or fail to continue, but you had the power to stop it. In other words, Mac gives YOU, the USER, total control… Windows makes it too easy for stuff to sneak under the wire without your knowledge. By the way, I do accept that the Sony DRM is a trojan really… It would not have installed if you didn’t say okay to the license agreement, but the thing is, it still COULD get on if you said no, or it could still get on even if never asked… That can’t happen on Mac. Sony’s DRM thing only asked because Sony’s intall stuff did the asking… On a Mac, it’s the OS doing the asking…
The problem is that Windows users will come to Mac and not know this, and will enter the password… and yes, they could get a gotcha but of it, but that’s where education comes in.
I’m all for a class action against M$. The only thing i don’t understand is why it hasn’t already been started?
MacRaven writes: “PC people stay loyal through such incredible crap. It’s like they enjoy pain and suffering. Some I talk to are so freakin’ blind and stubborn. Plus they they take out their frustration in denial mode, instead of getting mad at MS they make sarcastic remarks about Apple computers…go figure THAT logic.”
This is known as “Stockholm syndrome”:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome
SteveJack already has explained the problem that many Windows people have here:
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments_opinion/defending_windows_over_mac_a_sign_of_mental_illness/
Does Tom (many many posts higher) mean that his Mac was infected and had become a zombie mailer? Is he trying to tell us that MacMail DOES DOES send out spam> Plz. clarify. I’d be horrified!
Here are three rather extreme examples of Windows users who refuse to consider switching to Mac:
A neighbor had a Dell which died about a year ago after endless servicing by technicians. So they went out and bought another Dell very much against my advice. But the new Dell has proven to be so much more trouble than its worth (what with viruses and all) the family simply packed it away in a closet. Their excuse for not getting a Mac was, “Everyone uses PCs and besides Macs are too expensive” — this was laughable coming from an insurance company executive who who can afford almost anything he wants.
Another friend and long-time Mac user is constantly at odds with her PC using husband who can’t understand his wife’s devotion to Apple. “Why does she insist on playing with toys?”, he raves. He himself uses a “real computer”, a Dell, for his important work like following the stock market, playing golf games and some e-mail. “She’s a woman so I guess you can’t expect her to appreciate the value of having a real computer in the house”, he sighs.
I have known the third PC friend for at least six years and in all that time he has dropped by almost monthly to ask questions (obviously longingly) about my Macs. But despite all my gentle urging he has yet to take the plunge into Mac. I told him yesterday that six years was long enough. I almost said “If you aren’t carrying a Power Book the next time you turn up here I won’t let you in the door.” His excuses are completely irrational. “Macs are pretty but too expensive, too big, not enough software, hardly any games, AND THERE’S A TON OF VIRUSES FOR MAC OS X” What? That last remark really got me riled. “By a ton you mean ZERO?”, I shouted as I lead him to the computer to see if he could prove the existence of a single confirmed virus for the Mac. After spending almost an hour searching sites like Google, Apple and MDN he had triumphantly found only one reference to one minor worm posted by an unknown blogger. “They are all wrong,” he said defiantly. “You are vulnerable. You had better reinstall Virex.”