Computer Security: When Bots Attack

It happens in minutes. Hackers with bot code break into vulnerable computers, turn them into zombies and launch an assault against your computer systems. And while you scramble to secure your network--and the vital data on it--botmasters sell access to your hacked machines for pennies apiece. The threat is real--and growing. On any given day, 3 million to 3.5 million bots are active around the world. And each day, they get into hundreds of thousands of computing and communications devices.

Here's the inside story of how bots work--and what you can do to protect your company.

Story Guide