Spamming isn't the only reason for collecting zombie PCs. Some criminals marshal "their" machines to mount distributed denial of service attacks on corporate computers, blackmailing the victims before they will stop the attacks. Web sites of several online betting companies have been attacked recently.
Botnet machines can also be used as free Web hosts, says Miko Hypponnen, head of anti-virus research at F-Secure, a security firm.
"These guys use infected computers to run Web sites selling hardcore porn and illegal goods," Hypponnen said.
Who is behind this fast-growing criminal industry? Many of the groups come from Eastern Europe or Russia, and the UK's National High-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) has in the past year arrested dozens of people connected with identity theft and extortion through denial of service attacks.
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