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If your computer is suddenly running slower than normal or your Internet access comes to a crawl, your PC may have been commandeered by a hacker and put into service as a robot. Though it sounds crazy, huge networks called botnets are made up of computers like yours, quietly serving up advertisements and performing malicious acts such as sending out massive amounts of spam and phishing emails, infecting other vulnerable computers, or taking part in a denial of service attack.

Hackers infiltrate unprotected computers by using automated tools to sniff out susceptible computers on the Internet. Once found, malicious software is installed and the computer mindlessly follows whatever instructions the hacker sends its way. Once the computer becomes a robot, it is part of the larger botnet and you have become a pawn for malicious deeds!

As a robot, also called a zombie, on a large botnet, your computer’s resources may quickly dwindle. After all, it takes a great deal of bandwidth to launch a massive spam campaign or infect thousands of other computers with the botnet malware. If your Internet connection seems excessively slow, your computer may be busy carrying out a malicious mission.

You can take several proactive steps to ensure that your computer is not taken over by hackers and turned into a robot. First, update your operating system and Web browser regularly. Developers find and discover vulnerabilities and patch them frequently through updates. Closing these holes is essential in keeping hackers at bay.

Antivirus and antispyware tools are often effective at detecting botnet agents, though not always. Nonetheless, frequent computer security updates and scans are a must. Because these tools may not catch a botnet agent, additional measures are needed. Check your firewall settings and make sure to configure the firewall’s outgoing Internet traffic settings so that you are warned before your computer transmits information or communicates with other computers.

Hackers continue to exploit system vulnerabilities, making it essential to update the operating system, Web browser, antivirus software, and antispyware software. In addition, be aware of the potential and pay attention to sluggish performance as your PC may be trying to tell you that it has been turned into a robot.