The botnet is a zombie network, consisting of the normal user computers infected with bots – the autonomous software. Malefactors, it is reserved the installing bots on a set of computers, use them then as a part of network for any illegal activity. The owner of the computing device, as a rule, does not guess it until to it do not disconnect the Internet, money from its accounts will not disappear yet or so far will not steal a mailbox from it.
The computers infected with malicious applications united in network, are a powerful cyber weapon and a great way to be enriched for this purpose who manages it. At the same time the malefactor can be in an every spot on the globe where there is an Internet.
Usually botnets carry out large-scale criminal tasks. For example, spam sending from the infected machines can give earnings to the spammer in 50-100 thousand dollars a year. At the same time sanctions which can be applied to the postal address from which spam is sent, to concern only owners of the infected machines. In other words, they will also assume all negative consequences from spam sending. Botnets and for cyberblackmail are used. The powerful computer network can begin an effective DDoS-attack on any server by order of the malefactor, creating problems in its work. This attack can continue as much as long until the owner of the server does not pay repayment. Recently the DDoS-attacks are applied and as means of political pressure when official resources of any state are exposed to the attack.
Besides, botnets are used as means of anonymous Internet access that it was possible to crack safely for the cybercriminal the websites and to steal passwords from the infected computers. Separate type of crime is delivery of botnets for rent and creation of the zombie networks for sale.
Today development a botnet technologies goes on several paths. The control interface becomes simpler, bots are protected from detecting by programs antiviruses, actions of botnets become more imperceptible even for specialists. The prices in the market of botnets become lower, simplicity of management of the zombie networks is available even for understanding of teenagers, effective remedies to stop creation of bots and networks is practically not present. There is an opinion that all Internet is one big botnet.